Excerpt from Lilly's Pokémon Saga: Kanto
by stay-lucky
Summary: Lilly, a young Pokémon trainer with a big secret, was asked by her friend Ash Ketchum to rescue a severely injured Mewtwo from Cerulean Cave before he is recaptured by Team Rocket. Can she convince him to leave the cave before it's too late? Inspired by elements from both the anime and games.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

"Woah there! Not so fast, kiddo."

I had just hopped off of Gyarados' back and onto the small, rocky beach outside of Cerulean Cave. I had walked by it several times, but I was surprised to see somebody waiting there at this hour. I sighed impatiently. We were already running a little behind schedule as I noticed the sun quickly beginning to sink lower behind the hills ahead of us.

"Just who are you? Some kind of gatekeeper?"

"I sure am. If you wanna enter this cave, you're gonna have to battle me first!"

"Mister, we're in a bit of a hurry today. Did someone actually put you here?"

"Officer Jenny herself, actually," the trainer said indignantly.

Gyarados rumbled in annoyance behind me. "_Want me to bite his head off?_ _This fool doesn't know who he's talking to!_"

"Shh," I said, shooting her a warning glare.

"What's the rush? Is there something shady going on here?" he continued, his expression suspicious.

_Crap, this is bad. _"Alright, look," I dug in my bag for a moment and pulled out my badge book, opening it so that he could see that I had all eight badges and an amulet from the Elite Four. "I already beat the Elite Four, see? I'm a Champion of Kanto!"

"Sorry, rules are rules. There are some pretty strong Pokémon past this point, I'd hate to see anybody get hurt, especially a little—"

"But I just _showed_ you my badges, I'm not a weak trainer!" I protested, holding them closer to his face.

"Oh yeah? How do I know that you didn't borrow those?"

"My name's on here," I huffed, trying not to roll my eyes.

He tossed a Pokéball in the air and caught it again, smirking condescendingly.

"Come on, just battle me!" he taunted.

Gyarados rose higher out of the water behind me, leering at the ace trainer over my head. "_Trainer, this human is testing my patience!_"

I cleared my throat and said, "As much as I would love to put you in your place right now, my Gyarados here is also itching to get inside this cave. And she gets very scary if she doesn't get what she wants."

He looked up at her and grimaced slightly. Gyarados growled and slapped the water with her tail in response. "Fine, just go ahead," he muttered, reluctantly stepping aside.

I held out her Pokéball and she returned as I shouted a quick "thanks!" before running ahead inside. "Be careful in there, girl!" he called after me.

The air in the cave was heavier, and much colder, compared to all other caves I had explored previously. Though we had just walked inside, I was already straining my eyes to see even a few feet in front of me. I withdrew Ampharos from her Pokéball, and she lit up the cave before I had time to ask. But even then, her light did not reach more than a few meters away.

"It seems as though this cave is heavily protected," Ampharos murmured, stunned.

"I've never met a Pokémon that could make caves darker like that," I agreed, letting out all my other Pokémon. Ninetails, Arbok, Gyarados and Togekiss looked around, though there was not much to see other than rocks and some pools of water. "We're inside the cave," I began, addressing them, "but I have no idea where he is. But you guys can see better than I can, so keep an eye out for anything suspicious that might lead us to him."

We kept close to Ampharos as we walked, nervous about what other surprises might be waiting for us ahead. I could hear some Pokémon scurry out of view when they sensed the light approaching.

Eventually, we came across another shore. It appeared to be an underground lake.

"Gyarados—"

"_Way ahead of you_," she replied, already entering the murky water.

"Wait, I was going to have Amphy—"

"_Alright then. Amphy, get up here! We need you up front_," she barked back.

"_Okay!_" Amphy called back cheerfully.

"Hey!" I shouted, trying to get their attention.

My shout echoed throughout the cavern. Ampharos was in the middle of clambering up Gyarados when they both looked back at me.

"You both need to wait for instructions," I said sternly, "I'm the trainer, here!"

"_But we already knew—_"

I shook my head, "I don't care! What if something happens because you weren't waiting for me to give the order? I know you're both smart and strong Pokémon, but with a situation as dangerous as this we need to have a chain of command. Okay?"

Again, Ampharos enthusiastically shouted, "_Okay!_"

Gyarados was silent for a moment, then she turned around and said, "_Okay._"

"Ninetails, you come back into your ball for now. There won't be enough room for you. Ampharos, you can get on Gyarados. Arbok, you and I will follow from behind. Togekiss . . ."

I looked up at the ceiling of the cavern. There were plenty of sharp rocks jutting downward, but I trusted Togekiss to dodge them easily.

"Fly close to the water in the back. Okay?"

Togekiss nodded, clearly still startled by my shout.

Arbok slithered into the water behind Gyarados and flattened her head so I could climb onto her. I withdrew Ninetails from the land behind me, and we set off.

We silently moved through the water for quite some time, I imagine it would have been much shorter had we not encountered so many Golbats. I had to yell commands to Ampharos from Arbok's back as she nimbly fought them off. "Ampharos, any land in sight?" I called after she electrocuted yet another Golbat.

"_Yes! Just up ahead!_" she shouted back toward me.

"Let's head towards it, we'll regroup there!"

Once we got to shore, everybody got out of the water except for Gyarados. "It looks like there's another path leading this way." I said, indicating the stones that seemed to outline a small path through the cave.

"_Let'sssss follow it and sssssee where it goessss._"

I was about to set off, but stopped when I heard a little squeal to my right. I looked in that direction and saw half a Slowpoke's head protruding from behind a boulder. When he realized that I knew he was there, he was brave enough to come out a little further, but his wide eyes showed that he was completely afraid of us.

_ He seems docile enough,_ I thought suddenly, _maybe he could take us to Mewtwo._

"Excuse me, is there a powerful Pokémon hiding in this cave?" I asked, squatting to talk to him.

Slowpoke came out all the way. I felt my eyes widen in surprise when I saw that the three-foot long tail most Slowpoke usually had on their backsides was missing.

"_What do you want with Mewtwo?_" he asked.

I was startled by how direct he was.

"Well . . . I heard that he's injured. I was sent by a friend to get him out of here before Team Rocket does. They know where he's hiding, so it's not safe for him to stay here anymore."

"_Hmm . . _."

The Pokémon seemed to expect my team and I individually, as if deciding whether or not I was telling the truth.

"_He will try to kill you, but . . . you seem like strong Pokémon,_" he said to my surprise. "_You won't go down easily. But protect your human,"_ he added, looking back at me,_ "she's so small._"

"We're not afraid," I said, hearing Gyarados slap her tail against the cavern wall at those words, "we understand what we're in for."

The Slowpoke did not respond, but instead continued to inspect my team.

"So . . . do you know where we can find him?" I asked again. "This cave is pretty big, and—"

"I know where Mewtwo is, every Pokémon here does. I'll help lead you to him, but I sure won't face him with you!"

"I understand," I said kindly, "thank you for helping us!"

"If it helps Mewtwo, I sure will," said the Slowpoke in his humble voice. "He's not a bad Pokemon, y'know? Just scared is all." His eyes widened suddenly, "Oh don't tell him I said that!"

I couldn't help but smile at his testimony.

He promptly turned around and motioned us to follow with a nod of his head and a flick of his stump.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

As we walked behind the Slowpoke, I thought about the conversation I had with Ash the previous day about this mission. We only had 24 hours to prepare for it.

* * *

"Lilly, are you really sure about this?" he had asked me for the third time.

"Yes, of course I am!" I had said. "A Pokémon that needs to be rescued from Team Rocket? Why would I say no to something like that?"

"But this isn't just any Pokémon—"

"Oh, relax! I've dealt with some pretty Legendary Pokémon back in Hoenn and Jhoto, trust me! Once he battles my Pokémon—"

"Lilly, stop brushing me off, I already know all that!" he had said angrily.

"Fine, then what do you want to say?"

"I'm trying to tell you that Mewtwo isn't like any Pokémon you've ever faced. He doesn't trust humans. And since he's dying, he'll probably do whatever it takes to get you away from him."

"So? How is that different from—"

"I'm saying that he will definitely try to kill you. He won't see you as someone who is trying to help him, you'll be a threat."

I thought for a moment before saying, "Then, won't he trust me more if you come with me?"

"You're not understanding, that's why I _can't_ come with you," he had said, exasperated. "Mewtwo . . . he doesn't listen to anybody when he's afraid. He'll tell me that he's fine and able to take care of himself. Believe me, I know."

"I still think you're worrying too much," I said, picking my backpack up off the ground and slinging it over my shoulder, "I know this isn't my team from Hoenn, but this team has definitely been through some tough battles. They can handle it."

To my surprise, he took me by the shoulders and brought his face very close to mine. "I know you're a good trainer, and I know you have captured Legendary Pokémon before. But none of that matters, it's going to take so much more than that to pull this off. The only reason I'm asking you to do this is because of your . . . you know . . ."

I had shrugged out of his grasp and put my hands on my hips. "Are you saying my team isn't good enough to take him?"

"Yeah, that's exactly what I'm saying," he said flatly, "nobody's team is good enough to take him on, he's that powerful."

"I ought to make you eat your words right now!" I had objected.

"I'm just worried. I really care about Mewtwo, and I want him to be safe. But risking your life or the lives of your Pokémon isn't worth it to me," he said nervously.

"Ash I promise, it'll be okay!" I had insisted, "we'll all come back in one piece."

"You're absolutely sure that you can get—"

"I told you, he came out for Rayquaza when I needed him. If for some reason my Pokémon are all knocked out, which I doubt will happen, I know that he'll be able to defeat Mewtwo for sure."

Ash looked at the ground. "I just hope that you're right."

* * *

We followed the Slowpoke for what felt like hours. Pokémon watched us pass by, but most did not approach us. The ones that were actually brave enough to do so, Gyarados was able to scare off by simply baring her teeth.

As I watched the Slowpoke walk, looking at its stumpy tail fanned the flames of my curiosity to the point where I simply had to ask how he lost it.

"Slowpoke, what happened to your tail?" I tried to make my voice sound as innocent as possible.

"_Team Rocket_," he growled to himself, kicking a rock as we walked.

"_They came here?_" Togkiss asked, surprised.

"Many years ago. I was one of the few they managed to catch . . . I was a little one, see."

"_You mean, they couldn't catch all of you?_" Ninetails clarified.

"_Most of the Slowpoke here were strong enough to fight them off, by now . . . they are no longer Slowpoke_."

I thought for a second, then said, "Oh, wait . . . that means you can't evolve!"

"_A Shelder can't latch onto my tail, so I'll never be able to become a Slowbro_."

"I wish there was something I can do," I said sympathetically.

"_I'm afraid there's nothing_," he sighed sadly, "_I shall be a tailless Slowpoke for the rest of my days._"

"Where are we, by the way?" I asked, suddenly realizing that it had become even darker.

"_Nearly there . . . yup, here we are_."

"Huh?" I could feel that there was something powerful ahead, but . . .

We were at a dead end.

"There's . . . just a wall here," I laughed nervously.

"_This used to be an entrance to another part of the cave, but he sealed himself off inside._"

I sighed. "I was hoping we could get to him more quietly than blasting through a rock wall," I half muttered to myself.

As I said that, I could already see Arbok readying her tail. "No, Arbok, we need to try to be quieter," I said quickly.

"_Why? He musssssst already know that we're here_ _by now_," she said.

"I . . . yeah, I guess you've got a point," I admitted.

"_Only Mewtwo can open it with his power_," the Slowpoke chirped suddenly.

I turned to look at him and asked, "Have you seen him do it?"

"_Yup, he just presses his hand to the wall—_"

"Like this?" I asked, doing just that.

"_Yup._"

"Okay . . ."

I waited a moment, but nothing happened.

"Arceus," I whispered, "help me open up this door."

Still nothing.

I sighed again, lowering my hand from the wall.

"_Wait, what were you trying to do?_" the Slowpoke asked, bewildered.

I ignored the question, feeling frustrated with myself.

"Go ahead, Arbok." I said without looking at her, gesturing toward the wall, "Knock her down."

She looked at me in surprise. "_If he said only Mewtwo can open it, what makesssss you think I can?_!" she hissed indignantly.

"_Lilly, is Arceus going to respond if we need help after we enter his lair?_" Togekiss asked, concerned.

"I don't know!" I shouted, frustrated, "I thought he would understand that I need him for this, but . . ."

"It's alright," Ninetails said suddenly.

I looked at her, trying to keep the tears of frustration in my eyes.

"_We can do this, with or without Arceus. We've never needed him to help us catch a Pokémon before, right_?" she continued, addressing all of us this time.

They nodded in agreement.

"E-everybody . . ." I wiped my eyes with my sleeve and looked at the wall again. "Arbok and Gyarados, you guys are up."

"_We have to do this swiftly, or else we'll have more problems than just Mewtwo_," Gyarados said, looking up at the ceiling of the cave.

She was right. I hadn't thought about the cave itself coming down.

"Okay, then we'll try three times," I agreed.

Arbok and Gyarados positioned themselves next to the wall, their tails pulled back at the ready.

"One . . . two . . . three!"

On three, they let out a cry and swung their tails at the wall. The sound it created bounced off the walls and kicked up a cloud of dust, but once it settled, we could see that it had no effect at all on the rock.

I said "again," but when I looked, they already had their tails in the position.

"One, two, three!"

They swung again. The ground shook violently from the resulting vibration. I held onto Ninetails to steady myself. But the wall still stood, without a single crack.

"Maybe we should—"

"_No! One more time, I've got it this time_," Gyarados insisted, her tail already pulled back.

"_Gyaradossss, the whole cave could come down_," Arbok warned.

"_She said three times, didn't she?_" Gyarados growled at her.

"_You can do it then, I'm not gonna be resssponsssible for bringing thissss cave down on top of usssss_," Arbok said nonchalantly.

"_Fine_," Gyarados replied.

She looked back at me and said, "_On your command, trainer_."

I hesitated, not sure if this was worth the risk. But the way Gyarados was looking at me told me she was not going to back down from the challenge.

"_I . . . I think it will take a lot more than Gyarados to make the ceiling fall down,_" Slowpoke piped up hesitantly.

"Alright," I said, looking back at Gyarados.

"One . . ."

She raised her tail even higher.

"Two . . ."

She bared her teeth at the cave wall, as if it were a Pokémon she was battling.

"Three!"

Gyarados let out a fearsome cry before she threw tail with all her might at the cave wall.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

_What Are You?_

* * *

Before I could process what happened, Ninetails had pushed me out of the way as Gyarados' long body toppled over and nearly crushed the both of us. I laid on the ground for a moment, coughing from the dust her fall kicked up. "Gyarados? Are you okay?!" I shouted, trying to see where she fell.

"_That bastard . . ._" I heard her growl as she began to pull herself upright, "_you think you're funny, don't you?_"

"_What happened?_" Ampharos asked as she came to my side and helped me off the ground.

As the dust settled, I saw that Gyarados was already up aagain, studying the completely in-tact cave wall in front of her. "_Trainer,_" she barked suddenly.

"Y-yes?" I jumped.

"_Go try to touch the wall again._"

I looked at her like she had sprouted another head and asked, "What?"

"_Go touch it._"

I obliged and slowly approached the cave wall with one hand outstretched. Instead of feeling solid rock under my palm, I gasped in shock and nearly fell inside when my entire hand disappeared into the wall.

"_Isssssss it open?_" Arbok asked uncertainly, tilting her head to one side.

"I think so?" I murmured, swinging my hand behind the wall. The air felt even colder than it did out here.

Togekiss flew by my head and glided along the wall, the wing closest to it also disappearing. "_By the looks of it, Mewtwo opened an entrance when Gyarados was about to swing again,_" he concluded, landing by my side.

"_I knew it, that jerk!_" Gyarados snarled, slapping her tail against the ground in fury.

"_Huh?! It's really open?_" Slowpoke asked, dumbfounded.

"It sure seems like it," I replied, not daring to take my hand out of the wall in case it closed again.

I turned around to look at my team as I said, "Remember, he's very injured, so we're going to try to persuade him first. Fighting is our last resort . . ." I looked directly at Gyarados when I asked, "Got it?" My team grunted in agreement. "Okay. Then let's hurry in!"

One by one they passed through the wall. Gyarados was the last of them to slither through, as soon as she disappeared Slowpoke said, "I sure hope you all come back out in one piece."

"We have to," I said confidently, "there's no other option." I saw Slowpoke give a tiny nod before I face forward, squared my shoulders, and followed my team into the wall.

* * *

When I entered the room on the other side, it was as though I had become completely blind. I stumbled into what felt like Arbok's scaly skin and held on tightly, terrified by the unnatural darkness surrounding us. "_Everybody, stay close_," Gyarados growled nearby.

There was no sound at all aside from my team and I breathing. "A-Ampharos, give us some light please," I said quietly. I knew she must have heard me, but nothing changed. "Ampharos, use flash!" I said again. This time I heard her cry out loudly in response. The sound of electricity crackling was deafening, yet I could not see any of it. "Why won't your tail light?" I whispered urgently.

"_I'm trying my best_," she said, out of breath, "_but this place has lots of protection around it. My tail won't get any brighter than this!_"

"_I feel it, too,_" I heard Togekiss say warily, "_can you not also sense it, Lilly?_"

I closed my eyes and breathed deeply for a moment, noticing that Ampharos was right. I could practically feel the air tingle with the psychic energy that surrounded us. "Mewtwo has to be somewhere around here, then," I affirmed, my words shaking slightly.

"Who goes there?!" a deep, alarmed voice boomed throughout the cave.

I yelped in surprise when I heard the voice and accidentally backed into Ninetails, who began to growl. Arbok hissed loudly. _Another person is in here? We must be too late_, I thought, my pulse skyrocketing. "Who's there? Are you a Rocket?" I shouted back as Ampharos steadied me with her paws.

There was no response from the voice. "How many more are here?! Show yourselves!" I pressed.

There was another moment of silence, then a deep laughter sounded, very distant from where we were standing. "No," the voice replied at last, quieter than when it first spoke to me, "I am not a member of Team Rocket."

"Prove it!"

A moment later, two blue lights flashed and disappeared again. They were close enough together that they could have been eyes, but they were certainly larger than those of a human. Gyarados rumbled loudly in warning to whoever was addressing us.

"You must be Lilly Prescott," he continued, "child prodigy trainer, and friend of Ashton Ketchum." The response was unnerving, but not because of what he said. Whoever this was, they sounded almost amused at the fear in my voice.

"Just . . . just how do you know who I am?!" I tried to sound intimidating, but my voice cracked.

"_Reveal yourself at once!_" Ninetails suddenly demanded, her voice much more aggressive.

"_Ninetails, don't be hostile,_" Togekiss chirruped quietly to her.

"Yes, I know who you are, and why you have come to this place," the voice said. "You have no reason to be troubled . . . at the present."

Though he sounded sincere, I was not reassured. Togekiss alighted on the ground next to me. I heard him spread one of his wings and felt it rest on my shoulder protectively. Ninetails stealthily crept over to my left side and crouched down, her muscles tensing.

"Then, since you know who I am . . . who are you?" I asked again.

The blue lights reappeared. "I . . . am Mewtwo!" he said finally, his voice somehow echoing more impressively than Gyarados' growl.

My jaw dropped in shock. "Wait . . . y-you're Mewtwo?"

"Yes," he said impatiently, the lights vanishing for a millisecond as he blinked. "Are you surprised?"

"I . . . no!" Truthfully, I was not expecting Mewtwo's voice to sound the way it did at all. He sounded far too human; it was unlike any other Pokémon's voice I've ever heard. Not only that, he sounded much calmer than I anticipated for coming across a human that trespassed into his cave. _Then again_, I remembered, _he's probably in a lot of pain._

But instead of responding with those words, I said, "You sounded exactly like a human, of course I would have been confused!"

"How ignorant," he said, clearly trying to insult me, "I can communicate in a language that Pokémon and man alike can comprehend. Do you know about the Pokémon that can understand and speak human tongue?"

"It wasn't . . ." I had cut myself off, trying not to snap back at his patronizing tone.

Mewtwo chuckled bitterly to hiimself before he continued, "Of course, I am not a true Pokémon. I am merely—"

"A clone of Mew. Ash told me all about you," I interrupted eagerly.

"Did he, now?" The eyes narrowed. "He must have failed to mention that I dislike being interrupted."

"Ah, s-sorry," I said sheepishly, "but . . . he also told me that you're a Pokémon in every other way."

"Ash is too naive to see that I am not a genuine Pokémon," he replied coldly.

"A-ah . . ." I said, not sure how else to respond to that.

"However," his tone softened a little, "he has taught me that I am capable of mercy. He is the reason I did not ambush you and your Pokémon earlier."

I was unsure if I should express gratitude for this or not. But he did not give me a chance to before his voice darkened again as he continued, "But even so, I will not allow you to take me from this place."

Togekiss was the only one who seemed disappointed with that statement; I could tell that the rest of my team was eager to shut him up just from their energy. I tried to change the subject by asking, "If you don't mind, can you let Ampharos light up this room even a little bit?"

"For what reason? Do you fear the darkness?" he asked condescendingly.

"No," I said defensively, "I just want to be able to see what you look like."

" . . . Very well. If it will get you to leave faster."

A few seconds later, the cave was illuminated from the center. Startled, I blinked a few times, then looked up at the light source. There was a large, blue orb of energy attached to the ceiling, like a concave roof. I stared for a moment, as it was quite beautiful to look at.

"Satisfied?"

I lowered my gaze toward Mewtwo's voice. "Yes, thank—"

My breath caught in my throat when I saw him hovering close to the ground, under the orb. His eyes were slightly narrowed as he stared at me. I could feel the irritation in his gaze, but I could also sense that he was a little curious. He cautiously glided closer to where we were standing, and I could see him more clearly.

As he approached I could see that Mewtwo was shaped similarly to a human, and at least two feet taller than me, but there were a few key differences. He had only six fingers and toes, three on each limb. Behind his neck there was a cord that connected his head and back together; it started just above his neck and ended between his shoulder blades. His legs started out thick, then immediately thinned after his knee. His skin was a pale, delicate lilac color, and curved elegantly behind him was a tail as dark as Arbok's violet scales. The eyes that were still staring me down were the same color as his tail, perhaps even darker.

I had not noticed the severity of his gashes and bruises until his gaze shifted to my other Pokémon. It was then that I realized Ash was not kidding when he told me Mewtwo might not survive the next twenty-four hours. His nastiest wound was down the left side of his torso. The flesh was ragged and swollen, probably infected. Although he was doing his best not to show it, even from a distance I could see that he grimaced every few seconds and kept as still as possible. Were he not covered in wounds and grime, I might have thought he was the most beautiful shade of purple I'd ever seen. _He's been pretty badly hurt . . . maybe we won't have to fight, after all_, I thought hopefully to myself.

Mewtwo looked back at me suddenly, his expression shifting from calm to wary. "What . . . are you?" he asked in a cautious tone.

Although it was the second time that day someone had asked me that question, it caught me off guard when it came from him. "Huh?"

"I sensed it from the moment you first walked into the cave. I assumed you had brought a powerful Pokémon with which to defeat me. But . . . it was you all along. I see that after assessing your team," Mewtwo said cooly, then repeated his question a little slower, "What are you?"

This was not a conversation I expected to have, and I grew a little nervous. "Why should I tell you? You don't know me," I said, trying to deflect his question.

It did not work. "Because I wish to know." He said this like I should have already known it, as if it were obvious.

"Well, I'm sorry to disappoint you," I said, standing my ground, "but I can't say."

"And why not?" Do you have something to hide?" he asked, sounding insulted.

"Well . . . maybe I'll tell you if you come with us! Want to shake on it?" I asked, holding out my hand.

Mewtwo did not even look at my hand when he responded, "That sounds tempting, but, no." He turned around and waved his own hand toward the entrance we came in. "As you will not divulge me that information, I have no further inquiries to make. Take your Pokémon and leave."

"Wait, Mewtwo, you don't—"

"Oh, you would prefer me to send you all out myself?" he asked, "I am afraid the limits of my powers have been reached, you will have to show yourselves out."

I came very close to snapping back, but I held it together for Ash's sake. "No," I shook my head, "Team Rocket is coming, they'll be here—"

"I am perfectly capable of looking after myself. I do not need you to take me from here."

"You can't fight them like this!" I exclaimed finally, "We just want to help you!"

"_Sssspeak for yoursssself, he'sssss ssso rude!_" Arbok hissed loudly, not caring that Mewtwo heard her.

"You don't mean that, Arbok," I turned toward her to say.

"You . . ." I looked toward Mewtwo again. He had turned back around toward us, though his face was still as stoic as ever. "You understood exactly what that Pokémon said?"

"Oh, uh, no," I said, though I could not hide the stammer, "I . . . it just . . . it sounded like she said something mean." His eyes narrowed at my lie, but I was determined to not resort to fighting. "Listen, I know I can't make you want to leave this . . . creepy cave," I continued carefully, "but I promised Ash that I would get you to safety. I can't leave without you, he'll be so upset!"

"My sincerest apologies to Ashton, but I'm staying here. Send my regards for me, will you?" he said with his voice slightly higher in an attempt to imitate me.

My patience was gone when he responded that way. "So, you're just going to sit here like some Exeggcute and wait for Team Rocket to find you? You can't risk another attack, your injuries are pretty bad already," I replied, an edge beginning to find its way into my voice.

"Again, I do not need to be looked after. The Rockets cannot access this cave. You noticed that I had to open it for you, did you not?"

I was at my wit's end. "Mewtwo, unless you want to be captured again, have your memory wiped clean, and become the mindless criminal Ash told me you were when you were first created, then please—!"

"Begone from here at once," he said, not waiting for me to finish my sentence. He turned away again and began moving toward the center of the cave. "My patience wears thin. Do not force me to change my mind about attacking, I will not hold back."

I practically saw my team preparing for a battle behind me. "Mewtwo, I don't want to hurt you any more than you already are—"

"Is that . . . a challenge I hear?" he threatened, turning back toward me. The whole of his eyes began shining blue once more.

"I don't want it to be, but it's clear that my words mean nothing." I said, my heart beginning to flutter in anticipation. "I'll let my team do the talking."

Mewtwo laughed to himself. "Fine," he said in contempt, "have it your way."


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

"Wait!"

The moment I called out to him, he vanished.

"I don't want to hurt you, Mewtwo! Don't do this!"

No response.

At that point, I could no longer keep my fear under control; I felt the hairs on the back of my neck stand as I looked around for any sign him. My Pokémon seemed to panic a little as well as they formed a tight circle around me.

Then, the cave began to shake violently.

"Okay, I guess we're really doing this," I muttered, clambering onto Gyarados' back as quickly as I was able.

"Don't worry Lilly!"

I looked toward Ampharos, who was waving from the ground.

"I'll paralyze him before things get too out of hand," she shouted over the din.

"Right! Avoid hurting him if possible but protect yourselves at all costs!" I shouted to my team.

And with that, the battle began.

From the safety of Gyarados' back, I looked for the best places for me to hide in case it would become necessary later. Arbok slithered around the cavern at top speed, exhaling a gas from her mouth in an attempt to see Mewtwo's movements. Togekiss flew about the perimeter, keeping a watchful eye from above. Ninetails watched Ampharos' back, knowing Mewtwo would probably go for her first.

But to my surprise, he suddenly appeared behind Arbok.

"Arbok, behind you!"

She barely had time to burrow underground before Mewtwo sent a wave of psychic energy at her.

"Togekiss!" I shouted, standing on top of Gyarados' head.

When I knew he was paying attention, I leaped into the air. Togekiss caught me on his back a moment later.

Mewtwo started to go for Ampharos instead, but Ninetails blocked Mewtwo's path with flames before fearlessly running up to him with her teeth bared.

"Ninetails, be careful!" I shouted, pulling out an Ultra ball.

She snapped at him left and right, nimbly dodging his physical attacks.

"Ampharos, Thunder Wave!"

Ampharos, who had been following Ninetails, cried out and released a weak electric wave toward Mewtwo.

He noticed it just in time and redirected it toward Ninetails, who fell to the ground with a shudder.

"Ninetails, no!"

Before I could even raise my arm to throw the Ultra Ball, Mewtwo had levitated Ninetails and thrown her against the nearest wall. She cried out in pain and dropped several meters to the ground from where he threw her.

"Ultra Ball, go!" I shouted.

It flew toward Mewtwo and enveloped him in a red light, taking him inside and resting on the ground.

"Togekiss, go to Ninetails," I said urgently.

We just barely passed the Ultra Ball when it exploded open again, releasing Mewtwo.

He saw us passing and stopped Togekiss' motion, sending me hurtling toward a wall.

Arbok sprang up from under the earth in time to catch me with her hood and gently bring me to the ground. I did not have time to see what happened next, but as I stood up Togekiss was knocked flying past me and into the wall next to Ninetails. I looked toward Arbok, who was charging toward Mewtwo at full speed.

He was readying a ball of psychic energy, but I could see Gyarados also coming up from his left. As he released it, she let out a Hydroblast attack.

I didn't have time to shout a warning to Mewtwo before he was hit; I heard him cry out in pain and watched him get thrown into the nearest rock.

"Gyarados, don't attack!"

"He's knocking us out, Lilly!" she argued.

I was about to retort, but Mewtwo was on his feet again coughing out the water that had gotten in his mouth.

Gyarados quickly slithered toward him, dodging psychic attacks as she did so.

"Togekiss, Ninetails, return!"

Once they were safe, I took out another Ultra ball and whistled for Arbok. Though Mewtwo seemed to no longer have the strength to even levitate off the ground, he was still able to dodge the ice attacks Gyarados was throwing at him.

"Is that really the best you can do?" Mewtwo's voice echoed again.

He raised a hand, sending a wave of electricity toward her.

Gyarados cried out and fell to the ground.

"Ultra Ball, go!"

Arbok and I were close enough where I could throw another Ultra Ball. It hit its mark and fell to the ground, but it began shaking wildly.

"Ampharos, when this opens up again, I'm going to need you to—"

I didn't have to wait long; it released Mewtwo before I could finish my sentence.

Arbok sent a Sludgebomb flying toward Mewtwo to distract him, then shook me off her back and rushed at full speed toward him.

"Get Gyaradossss into the Pokéball!" she called back to me.

Ampharos was hot on her tail, shooting a Signal Beam ahead of Arbok.

"Gyarados—"

"Lilly!"

I turned my head just in enough time to see a rogue psychic attack coming toward me. I dropped to the ground and heard it collide with the cave wall that I was running toward.

Ignoring my stinging palms, I got back to my feet as quickly as I could and turned to look at my remaining two Pokémon. I was startled to see Arbok trying to sink her fangs into one of Mewtwo's legs. Ampharos had climbed up onto a rock, and then I understood that Arbok was trying to drive Mewtwo closer to Ampharos so that she could land an attack on him.

"Ampharos, now!" I shouted when I saw that he was within range.

That was a mistake; Mewtwo turned around and saw Ampharos. Just as she released a Thunderbolt attack, he teleported a few feet away. The attack hit Arbok instead, who cried out and fell to the ground.

"Arbok?!"

She didn't respond.

Mewtwo started for Ampharos, who began wildly discharging electric. I ran toward them, drawing out another Ultra Ball.

"Don't touch her!" I shouted, hurling the ball toward him.

It hit its target, drawing him inside once again.

"Ampharos, are you alright?" I huffed, close enough to see her better.

"Yeah, I'm—"

The Pokéball opened before she could finish.

Mewtwo was breathing heavily and clearly exhausted, but still on his feet. There was an eerily hollow look in his eyes.

"Signal Beam!" I shouted.

Ampharos attacked, but Mewtwo deflected it with a wave of his hand.

"Ampharos—"

Before I could give her another command, she cried out in frustration and began to charge toward Mewtwo with her head lowered. At first, I was confused when Mewtwo made no effort to dodge her incoming Headbutt attack, but as she approached I could see him slowly draw his other hand back.

"Wait!"

Mewtwo released a psychic attack, but Ampharos was able to dodge and headbutt him from the other side. He grunted and was knocked back a couple of feet.

For the first time since the battle had started, I was beginning to feel hopeful.

"Ampharos, use Thunder Wave!"

Ampharos cried out and released a weak electrical current, but Mewtwo deflected it once more. When she went to try again, he levitated her before hurling her into the cavern wall.

"Ampharos!"

There was no movement for a moment, but then she cried out weakly and lifted her head.

Mewtwo raised both his hands. Rocks began to tumble from the wall and ceiling above Ampharos.

"No!" I screamed, running toward her with her Pokéball in my hand, but I could not get there fast enough before they began to hit her.

"Ampharos, return!" I called, throwing her Pokéball in hopes that it would get to her before I could.

The red light flashed, and I could see that she had been absorbed into the Pokéball.

I put my hands on my knees for a moment, breathing heavily. When I had gotten enough air back into my lungs, I stowed her Pokéball back into my bag and turned to look for Mewtwo, but he was nowhere in sight.

"You're going to try to kill my Pokémon and hide?! Come back out here and fight, coward!" I screamed, anger overpowering my sense at this point.

"I'm still here! Come out and face me! You . . . you stupid scaredy-cat! You—"

Without warning an invisible force pushed me, and I fell back on the cavern floor. Winded, I laid there for a second before sitting up and seeing that Mewtwo had reappeared. He was hovering nearby, though he was less than a foot off the ground. His violet eyes were fatigued, he seemed to be looking through me rather than at me.

"Are you quite finished?"

I glared back, full of anger.

"Your only option is to give up. Stop wasting time here, your Pokémon have suffered enough."

He turned away from me and moved back a few feet, his voice lowering as he continued, "Leave this place now."

I didn't move from where I stood, instead I continued to glare at the back of his head. Out of the corner of my eye, I spotted a stray Ultra Ball near my foot.

"I must say . . ."

He alighted on the ground, grunting in pain as he leaned back against a rock, then chuckled to himself quietly, "this was quite simple."

"You're bluffing. You can barely stand on your feet," I whispered to myself, standing back up with the ball in my fist.

Mewtwo slowly turned back around and began to limp toward me, raising his hand and forming a small sphere of energy with it.

"Do you think . . . I will hold back because you are a child?" he asked quietly.

Before I could even raise my hand to throw the Ultra Ball, he quickly drew his arm back and sent the sphere flying toward me.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5: No Mercy**

The moment I saw the Ultra Ball in her hand, I did not hesitate to release the Aura Sphere I held in mine.

Seconds before it made contact with the human, there was a bright flash followed by a thunderous bang. As I was not expecting it, I failed to activate my shield in time. The blast knocked me from the center of the cave to the wall that was behind, the dull _thwack_ of my body slamming into the rock lost in the echo of the strange explosion.

I cried out in pain, already badly injured from the attempted capture by Team Rocket only a few days prior.

_Did my attack just . . . backfire? _I grabbed onto the nearest rock and forced myself to my feet again, trying to make sense of what happened. I was forced to squint; the blast kicked up a cloud of dust, but it was not enough to dim the brilliant light that shone through. A high-pitched drone had begun to sound, growing in volume with each passing second.

_What . . . is that? _The dust suddenly blew to the sides of the cave, revealing the human once again. To my shock she was still on her feet, though her head was lowered to the ground. My vision was blurry, but even then, I could see that something was very different about the trainer that stood before me.

Her long, dark hair floated about her body, as if it was defying gravity. She wore what appeared to be a long, white robe with black material in the middle. Her shins and forearms appeared to be encased in a gold-colored metal, giving off light. Two massive, golden rings were rotating about her; they appeared to form some kind of shield.

She suddenly looked up, and in an instant flew to the side of the cave where I was located. She was close enough that I could see her eyes, green with red irises instead of black like those of a normal human.

The incredible volume of energy that emanated from this being bounced off of the walls of the cavern. Though it had dimmed when she approached, the light she emanated was still nearly blinding. I leaned back against the wall, afraid of what stood before me. Before I knew it happened, I realized that I sank to my knees. I groaned in frustration.

It stared at me without a trace of emotion in her face; this was not the same furious trainer that I was fighting moments ago.

_You were curious, were you not?_ she finally asked, her voice taut.

I blinked in surprise; the voice was much deeper and thicker than the one that originally came from the young girl. _I do not fully understand what you have suffered, but was your pain so great that you were able to justify killing a human child?_

I stared back incredulously, not sure of what was going on or who was addressing me at the moment. _But even worse, you were about to destroy something far beyond your understanding. And trust me . . ._

I almost flinched when her face suddenly darkened.

Nobody _wants that to happen._

"Should I . . . know who you are?" I asked, concentrating on the ground below as I tried to lean on the wall behind me to help me stand up.

"No . . . it would not be fair to expect that of you, of all Pokémon."

"I am _not_ a—"

Before I could finish my sentence, she interrupted with her own introduction. "You may refer to me as Arceus. I am the creator of all living things in this universe."

I slowly looked up when it said that, not sure that I had heard her correctly. She then pointed at me with a golden finger and added, _Except for you, of course. You are not mine. Although . . ._

Suddenly, she put a hand to her mouth, as if to think. _If you _really_ wanted to be specific, one could say that I indirectly created you—_

"Then, you suggest you are a God?" I interrupted, pushing myself up with one leg.

_I would not do that—_

I gasped out in pain and fell down again, putting my arms out in front of me to catch myself. _Yes, I suppose you could say that as well_, the strange girl continued while I tried to pull myself together, _but now would not be a good time to have that discussion; there are more pressing matters at hand._

Something suddenly pushed my chin to look up at the being. I gritted my teeth together as she forced me to look her in the eyes. _Listen carefully, Mewtwo. You will perish here if you continue to resist Lilly's aid._

"You mean yours?" I laughed bitterly.

_No._ She indicated herself by putting a hand to her chest. _I am not Lilly_, she said adamantly, _I am temporarily borrowing her body not only to protect her from your attack, but also to communicate with you. She will remember nothing of this conversation when I return it to her—_

"You say she is merely your puppet?"

_Outside of her interfering in her choices that endanger my existence I do not take any part in Lilly's life, especially while I am in such a vulnerable state._

I glared in response, annoyed that she had not answered my question. There was a moment of silence as it examined me. It floated closer to the place where I was kneeling, beginning to speak again, _I can see that your existence has been very difficult up until now—_

"What do _you_ know—" Suddenly, the girl raised one of her hands and quickly pressed her fingers together. I continued to form words with my mouth, but it was a moment before I realized that I wasn't making any sounds.

_We are short on time, I need you to listen to me, _she sighed impatiently. _I realize that you are afraid to leave. You knew that Lilly was coming from the moment she set foot into this cave. Why do you approach her so readily if you did not wish to be removed from here?_

I glared back in fury for a moment, unable to reply even telepathically, before the being said, _Interesting, I understand now. You wanted to die from this battle. You think that this will be a better fate than being taken back by the evildoers who call themselves Team Rocket_.

Her golden feet gently alighted on the ground in front of me before she continued in a serious tone, _Congratulations Mewtwo, you have met your goal. Your injuries have become fatal with this battle. You will die within the hour, unless you receive help_.

_Let me die here. Just leave me alone._

_But I cannot allow that. There's too much that I can learn from you, and that you can learn from being alive. You do not yet realize it, but I can tell just from our brief interaction that you have so much to offer this world._

I felt myself losing consciousness as this being continued to spew words that I did not care to hear. _I do not know your fate because I did not create you myself. But I know that leaving this cave with Lilly will be a step closer to your freedom. She will be angry with you for how you hurt her Pokémon, but she is not spiteful; she will not let you die._

She raised her hands as she continued, _I will heal your worst injuries, but it will only gain you a day's time. Then the decision is yours, and yours alone_.

The girl raised her arms, lifting the golden circles that rotated around her body. When she lowered them again, the circles surrounded me instead. As she approached me, the high-pitched drone began to sound again. Her golden arms were the last thing I saw before I blacked out.

My eyes opened to the blue orb that Mewtwo planted on the ceiling when we first entered the cave.

_Ugh . . ._

I laid there for a moment, feeling too exhausted to move. Then I remembered why I was there and what had come to pass.

_My Pokémon!_

I sat upright, looking toward the center of the cave.

"What . . . what happened?"

I scrambled to my feet and turned around. When I saw a small crater in the middle of the cave, I gasped. "Was that there before?" I ran toward the crater, and out of the corner of my eye I saw Gyarados lying against the cave wall, unmoving. "Gyarados!"

I hurried toward her, but then saw Arbok with part of her body stuck under a boulder. "My . . . my Pokémon . . ." I stumbled over a rock and fell on my hands. Pushing myself up again, I ignored my stinging palms when I took out their Pokéballs and called back their unconscious forms, one by one.

Once I got them back, I looked around for Mewtwo. "He'd better still be here after all that," I grumbled angrily to myself.

Since the blue orb was still on the ceiling, I knew he must be in there somewhere. But why had he not approached me? "Mewtwo?" I cried out, looking around, "Where'd you run off to?"

When I turned to look where I woke up, I finally saw him. He looked like he was lying on his front by the farthest point in the cave. "What . . . but . . . didn't he just attack me?"

I started to sprint toward him but slowed down as I approached; I was afraid that he would suddenly spring up and try to kill me again. As I drew closer, I could see that he was covered in dirt and sludge. He was definitely knocked out, but I had no recollection of how he became unconscious. He continued to lie motionless as I cautiously approached; I worried that he was already gone. "Mewtwo . . . ?"

He gave no response. "No, no, no!" I whispered nervously to myself, "You can't be dead already!"

I felt my heart beat faster as I knelt down beside him and watched his thin back for a moment. When I finally saw that it was moving slightly, I sighed with relief. I fumbled through my bag, and miraculously found a Pokéball that I had not used. "We gotta get you out of here."

I held it up, pressed the button, and tossed it at Mewtwo. Once again, he was enveloped in the red light before being drawn inside. I watched impatiently, but it only shook once before the capture was confirmed.

I stumbled into the Pokémon center and ran up to the counter where nobody was standing. It was late, but not late for the Pokémon Center. "Nurse Joy!" I shouted desperately, ringing the little bell on the counter

She came hurrying out of the back room as soon as I called. "Oh, my word! Are you alright Lilly?" Nurse Joy asked, looking me up and down. "You look as though you were in the sewers!"

"I need to heal six . . . no five Pokémon, please," I gasped, leaning on the counter and placing their Pokéballs in the tray.

"Sure, of course."

I decided to not let her heal Mewtwo, for his and my own protection. Each Pokémon healed at a center was recorded in the machine, and that would be evidence that Mewtwo had been captured if the Rockets ever found it. "Lilly, your Pokémon have been badly injured," she said after quickly examining them in the machine behind the counter, "I'm afraid they'll have to stay here a few days. What could they possibly have been doing? How could you be so irresponsible?"

"They uh . . . they got into an argument! And, well, you know how strong Pokémon are. They don't know their own strength sometimes! Gyarados was accidentally pulled into the fight and—"

"You don't need to say anymore," Joy said consolingly, "we'll heal them up here and ship them to Viridian as soon as possible!"

"Oh, no, just send me a message on my Pokénav. I'll come pick them up myself!"

"Sure, we'll do just that."

I suddenly remembered that my Pokémon would not know the result of the battle they endured. "Do you have a pen and a piece of paper?"

"Certainly!" Joy took a pad off the counter and pushed it toward me, then reached into the pocket of her apron and handed me a pen with a cute Chansey on the end. I quickly scribbled a note for my Pokémon in Unknown:

**Success! Could not leave him here. Will come back once Joy gives the OK. Behave for her. So proud. Sorry for not protecting. Get better soon, food and hugs waiting!  
Love, Lilly**

"Please let my Pokémon read this when they recover, will you?" I asked the nurse, pushing the note over the counter.

"Sure!" She glanced at it, spending a moment trying to decipher it before giving up. "Um . . . what does it say, sweetie?"

_None of your business_, I wanted to say. "Ah, it's a . . . it's a secret message. They'll be able to read it."

"Well, alright. Go get some rest, you look like you need it!"

"Thanks a lot Nurse Joy!"

"No problem!"

I withdrew Fearow from the Pokémon Storage System, ran outside, and took off for Pallet Town.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6: (Re)Introduction**

We were in the air for about two minutes before we landed back in Pallet Town. I thanked Fearow and called him back into the Pokéball, then ran into the house. After I threw my backpack on the coffee table, I took out the Pokéball that Mewtwo was inside of and aimed it toward the couch. "Wait . . . that will never come out of the fabric," I muttered to myself.

I put his Pokéball down and hurried to the kitchen. It took me a couple of draws until I found what I was looking for: the plastic wrap. There was just enough to cover the fabric where I needed it to. I tossed the empty box aside, aimed the Pokéball toward the couch again, and pressed the button. There was a soft crinkling sound from the plastic wrap when Mewtwo appeared on the couch.

I had always seen it as a large couch, but it was definitely not long enough to support his feet that rested on the arm. Mewtwo's eyes were still closed, and his face was so peaceful that I again feared he might already be dead.

"H . . . hello?" I asked quickly, kneeling by his head.

After a moment, he blinked weakly, but did not acknowledge me. "Oh, thank goodness," I sighed, standing up again.

I tried to figure out where to begin, but the state of his body at the time was almost overwhelming; besides the wounds that I could clearly see, there were probably several more hidden under a thin layer of Arbok's Sludgebomb. As I was looking him over, Mewtwo fully opened his eyes and seemed to finally realize that I was standing there when he looked at me. I tried to ignore his stare, but it was useless.

"Uhm . . . hi," I said, looking at my feet.

He did not say anything, but after a moment his eyes began to dart around the room in confusion. "This is . . . uhm . . . I got you out of the cave. We're in my Aunt's house in Pallet Town, now."

He looked at me again. Though his face did not change, his eyes clearly said that he was pissed. "Arbok got you pretty good, so I have to clean you up now. Is that . . . okay?

Still no response. "That's funny, I don't remember her biting your throat out," I said, sarcasm dripping from my voice.

He rolled his eyes and looked away, continuing to ignore my question. I sighed and said, "Just . . . stay there, and don't even think about escaping."

I took of my sneakers and threw them by the door before walking down the hallway and into my Aunt's bathroom. Since I had originally planned on taking Mewtwo to the Pokémon center, I did not bother to stock up on medical supplies ahead of time.

But when I opened the cabinet under the sink to see what I had to work with, I remembered that I did not need to worry at all; my Aunt in this region worked in a hospital as a nurse for humans. Though the products were not for Pokémon I had never heard of Pokémon being damaged by them, so I grabbed several things in hopes that they would help him.

My arms full, I walked back toward the living room and put the supplies on the coffee table before heading to the kitchen to get a bowl of water.

When I came back with the bowl, Mewtwo had turned his head back toward the front door. I knelt by the coffee table with the bowl and soaked a rag in it, then wrung it out. I looked Mewtwo over again, my stomach churning from the grime and wounds. Blood was beginning to coat the cellophane; I took a separate rag and wiped it off. _I have to be quick about this, _I thought to myself.

I tried to get his attention by looking him in the eyes. He returned my gaze this time, his breathing shallow.

"Are you . . . in a lot of pain?" I asked as calmly as I was able, trying not to let him know how nauseous I was.

There was silence for a moment. "I don't want to make any of your injuries worse, so I need you to talk to me. Please."

_No_, he said finally, speaking inside my head.

I jumped; I had never heard a voice inside my head like that before. I composed myself and gave him a stern look. "Now isn't the time to be proud, I don't know how long you have until you bleed—"

_No, I cannot feel anything._

"Oh. Okay. I'll do this as quickly as I can, then."

I lifted the wash cloth and gently placed it on his chest, then took my Pokénav from my bag to type a message to Ash:

**Got Mewtwo out and brought him home, he's in bad shape.**

**Fixing him up. Come over ASAP.**

**Love, Lilly**

After sending that message I took the cloth and immediately got to work on cleaning up his midsection, where his worst wounds were.

_What is that?_

I was startled to hear his voice again. "What is what?" I asked back.

_That apparatus you used to communicate with Ash_, he replied gruffly.

I looked at him, surprised that he knew who I had messaged.

"How'd you know—"

_Have you really never trained a Psychic Pokémon? I can read minds._

Gardevoir was my first and only Psychic Pokémon so far, but she never appeared to read my mind like that. At least, she never told me so. _That's going to be fun, _I thought before I could stop myself.

_That means_ _I can hear all of your thoughts_, he added condescendingly.

"It's called a Pokénav," I said out loud, "it can show locations, send messages to other Pokénav users, and it tells time. It's a good tool for a Pokémon trainer to have." I moved back to the bowl to rinse the rag, then carefully began wiping his long legs.

_Why did you tell Ash to come?_

I couldn't help but feel confused when he asked that. I looked up at his face and could see that his gaze had softened slightly. "I thought you would like to see him. He was the one who told me to get you from the cave and all."

_I . . . presume I do._

His tone was uncertain, his eyes darting from me to the door. I resumed wiping.

_Why did you not take me to the Pokémon Center?_

"'Cause Team Rocket—"

_Could have discovered my data and fathomed that it was you who captured me. But if you truly are Arceus, you must be capable of healing me without the use of common medicinal practices, correct?_

My breath caught in my throat and I was forced to stop what I was doing again. "How . . . how did you know—"

_That is the reason you are alive. Arceus took over when I tried to finish you off. He is also the reason that I am mostly paralyzed at the present. However, he did also heal my internal injuries, so perhaps he is also the reason I am alive._

I stared at him in shock, then looked away and whispered, "That's why I couldn't remember how we won." I reached over to clean the leg furthest from me, then asked, "You saw him?"

_He was using your body to communicate to me, but he did change some of your physical features when . . . never mind, answer my question._

"Er . . . what was your question again?"

_Why are you not able to heal me with Arceus' power?_

"Well . . . I can't really do that whenever I want to yet," I said quietly, "it's not exactly . . . something I know how to do."

_I do not understand. What is there to know how to do?_

"Well, Arceus only speaks to me when I'm in danger. I've only talked to him maybe three or four times in my life, and he's never really explained how to do those kinds of things. Otherwise I'm sure it would be a lot faster to heal you that way—"

He interrupted me yet again by asking, _What reason do you have to help me?_

It was a moment before I replied. "Ash asked me—"

_I attempt to annihilate you and your Pokémon, and here you are cleansing the grime off of my body. Why not let me die? Would that not satisfy your need for revenge?_

I stopped looking at his face and went back to wiping his legs, trying to not think about what I actually wanted to respond to that with. "Yes, you did a lot of damage. But I don't . . . I don't want revenge," I murmured, my voice suddenly hardening.

_I already know that you are angry. I want to know why you are helping me, despite that._

I threw the washcloth on the ground. "Fine, okay, of course I'm angry with you!" I glared at him. "What you did to my Pokémon today was horrible, I was so scared that I was going to lose them. But that doesn't mean I want you to—"

My voice cracked a little, and I looked away in embarrassment. "Nobody . . . deserves to die," I finished, "and if I don't clean this off and bandage your wounds as quickly as possible, you really could get an infection and die . . . or something. So, please . . ."

I picked up the wash cloth again, fighting back tears, "just let me get through this. Then you'll never have to see me again, I promise."

Mewtwo instantly reacted. His eyes narrowed once more as he growled inside my head:

_Do you think you can just do as you wish with the lives of others? That was the last place where I knew I was safe, and even with that knowledge you took me from there. I was fighting for my life because I know for certain that they will be able to find me now that I have left the cave and cannot defend myself!_

"I . . . but they were going to . . ." I sighed and stood up, putting one hand to my face. "Ash was right, it's impossible to reason with you like this."

With those words hanging in the air, I went back to the kitchen to rinse out the bowl of water and compose myself. When I returned to his side, Mewtwo's gaze had softened. _You are so much like him, choosing kindness over retribution._

I ignored the comment and busied myself once more by carefully wiping around the gash on his abdomen. "How did you get all these injuries? Ash told me you could heal yourself."

_I had nearly been eliminated during our previous encounter merely a week ago, _he said indignantly

"I don't know what that means," I said.

_. . . Even now, I still do not have the strength to restore myself_, he reluctantly confessed.

". . . Oh." I had to resist smirking at the thought of that being painful for him to admit. At that moment I started cleaning his face, and noticed his eyes turn an even darker purple as he looked at me trying not to smile. I couldn't help but think that they were beautiful.

_I may be one of the sole Pokémon with violet eyes_, he said quietly.

I felt my face heat up and made a big deal out of wiping his face; he had to keep his eyes squinted shut until I was finished. "Are you sure you're not in a lot of pain?" I asked, getting back on my knees.

Opening his eyes again, he replied,_ I cannot feel a thing. You would know by now if I was in any sort of pain._

Before Mewtwo could protest, I put both my hands under his back and heaved in an attempt to flip him over, but I couldn't lift him even an inch off the couch. "Ahh," he gasped aloud.

"How . . . much do you weigh?!" I grunted, taking my hands out from beneath him and vigorously wiping them on the cloth.

_Was that necessary? I do have wounds on my back_, he replied, clearly annoyed.

"I thought it would be easy since you're so skinny. Look at you!" I protested, ignoring his comment as I indicated his lanky arms and thin upper body.

_The mass is primarily in my cranium and legs_.

"How am I supposed to clean your back, then?" I asked, propping my head on my hand.

_That will not be imperative. The injuries on my back are minor compared to the ones visible to you now._

I had to get up anyway to rinse the rag again. When I returned, I began to work on his midsection. I noticed Mewtwo watching me out of the corner of my eye but did not acknowledge it. Once the silence was beginning to get uncomfortable, it was then that I remembered Ash telling me to ask Mewtwo about himself.

"So . . . Ash said that you had certain defects . . ." I said hesitantly.

_That would be accurate._

Though I was surprised that he admitted to having flaws at all so readily, I continued, "He didn't think you would like it if he told me, so he said to ask you about them when we meet."

_Why is this necessary to discuss? You do not need to know where my weaknesses lie. I would not want you using them against me in the future, _he said defensively.

"Believe me, after today I don't see myself trying to fight you ever again," I said without hesitation. "But since you will be staying with Ash after this, it's probably good that you tell me in case something goes wrong so my team and I can help," I said, trying to sound as nonchalant as I could.

Mewtwo hesitated, unsure of what to say. Then he sighed deeply.

_Very well_, he began after a long pause, _as far as I am aware, there are only three. The first is that my force fields and powers of invisibility do not always work. It is usually a result of being seriously weakened. Similarly, I am unable to heal myself if I become weakened enough. The second one is my failure to defend myself against Dark Types as well as other Pokémon—_

"It could be because you're a Psychic type. Nobody can hit a Dark Type with a Psychic move." I was trying to show off my knowledge of Pokémon, but the distraction nearly caused me to wipe over the broad gash in his side. I decided I wouldn't try that again.

Mewtwo thought my words over for a second before responding. _While that is true, the weakness only applies to moves taught by a trainer or moves learned when getting stronger. Even if I refrained from using those attacks, the effect of my offensive attacks are cut in at least half against Dark Types. But your comment made me realize that Team Rocket may have purposely given me that defect because of the multitude of Dark Type Pokémon they possess._

"Oh . . . yeah, that makes sense."

_My final flaw—_

He gasped suddenly and squeezed his eyes shut. I quickly took my hands off of him, my eyes widening. He seemed to be holding his breath. "What is it?" I panicked, looking near his right shoulder where my hands just were.

_Ah . . . do not . . . do not touch there . . ._

I looked again closely, not seeing any visible damage. "Is something broken? I thought you couldn't feel anything."

_No . . . I mean . . . yes, probably._

I chewed my lip nervously, "I'm sorry. I can't help you with that right now."

Mewtwo's breathing returned to normal again. _No matter. I will fix it myself sooner or later._

"Are you sure?"

_Yes, you may continue._

"Ah . . . okay."

I put the washcloth back over my hand and started again, avoiding his right shoulder. "So . . . what was that last flaw?"

Mewtwo's eyes narrowed ever so slightly at my question, and he sighed deeply. I then realized he probably faked the injury so that I would forget that I had asked him the question in the first place. But he told me anyway, perhaps for fear of being seen as a coward.

_My final flaw_, he said after another long pause, _is that . . . I cannot love._

_Did I hear him right?_

_Do not make me repeat myself, _he said dryly.

I stared at him perplexedly and asked, "Sorry, what was that? You can't . . .?"

He shot me a look of annoyance before he repeated himself anyway, _I cannot love. The scientists who created me chose not to give me that ability. They felt that it was impractical . . . why are you laughing?"_

As he was talking, I unsuccessfully tried to stifle a giggle. I tried to hold it in, but the ridiculousness of it was too much. _Can't love? He must be joking, _I thought to myself.

When Mewtwo began glaring at me again, I stopped laughing and tried to stop thinking altogether. I had just finished cleaning the dirt off of him as well, so I grabbed the iodine and dumped some on a gauze pad.

"This is going to sting, so I really hope that you can't actually feel anything," I warned.

_As I said, I cannot._

"Right, sorry," I muttered.

I dumped a little extra iodine just to spite him, secretly hoping that it would end up stinging anyway. But though his wounds sizzled slightly as I applied it, he did not even seem to flinch. Perhaps he was just immune to the sting. "Sorry, it's just . . . can't love? What does that mean?" I asked in disbelief, moving back to his worst cut to apply it.

_It means exactly what it sounds like. You can ask Ash if you do not believe me._

"But . . . but anybody can love. It isn't something you're made with, it just happens . . . right?" I asked, still very confused by the idea.

_You are young. What could you possibly know about love? _he scoffed.

I turned to look at his face, one of my hands still on his stomach His eyes were mocking, but after a moment they softened. I could tell that he found something that I wasn't ready to talk about yet.

"Mewtwo, you don't even know anything about me," I said quietly, staring him down.

_I see . . ._

"Nope, get out of my head!" I insisted, trying to drown him out.

_Your parents died protecting you._

I shot him a glare. _"_Why don't you listen?!" I turned my attention to his legs instead and began applying iodine there.

_I cannot control what I hear, _he replied, unfazed by me raising my voice._ You are welcome to tell me this for yourself, instead._

"Thanks, but no. I don't need to tell you about my dead parents," I said, trying to keep my cool.

_Fine, then tell me something else._

"What if we just kept quiet?" I asked hopefully.

_You genuinely are Arceus?_

I sighed, looking up at the ceiling for a second.

"No . . . well . . . kind of . . ."

_Are you, or are you not? Which is it?_ he asked impatiently.

I sighed in frustration, then said, "I don't even understand it much myself, but . . . yeah, he's definitely here. I don't know anything about him, though."

_You must know _something_ else_, he pressed. _How is it that the God of this universe has come to reside in a human girl?_

"I would tell you more if I could, but I really _don't _know," I said firmly. "It's like I said earlier, he barely talks to me. I was half sure that I made him up, to be honest. But my parents are dead, and I can talk to Pokémon, and sometimes I do strange things. And you can't talk about this with anybody except Ash, okay?"

_Your assumption that I would willingly talk to other humans is laughable._

"You're talking to me right now," I said under my breath.

_As if I have a choice! _he snapped back. There was another moment of silence before Mewtwo continued, _I only heard myths and lore of the being that created the universe . . . are they all accurate?_

I had just finished applying the iodine to his legs when he asked that question. I put the bottle on the table and looked at his eyes once more. They seemed eager, hungry for information, without a trace of hostility or stubbornness in them.

"You're asking too many questions, and I really don't know the answers to most of them," I muttered, carefully applying some iodine on his arm.

His voice became a few decibels louder inside my head. _And you are not? You had been interrogating me for the last ten minutes._

"Look," I said, grabbing a gel as the final step before the bandage, "we didn't exactly get off on the right foot today. I don't really want to tell you about any of that stuff. And like I said, I don't even know that much about it myself; everything I think I know might all be wrong information anyway. You can understand that, right?"

His look of wonder changed to a look of irritation when he said,_ I explained to you nearly every detail about myself. You cannot tell me any details about the God that lives within you?_

I rolled my eyes when I said, "I think telling you about myself is a _little _riskier than telling me about yourself. Besides, you said almost every detail."

_Well there is not much more to me than that . . . not that I remember, anyway._

Despite being angry, I couldn't help but feel a pang of sympathy when he said that; I remembered how Ash said his creators had completely erased any memory he had of his formative years, and he never found out why.

That was another mistake; his eyes narrowed again as he said, _I am not looking for sympathy. I only want the truth._

I reached over him and took the arm nearest the back of the couch, his left one, to rub with gel. "I . . . I'm sorry. But I need to know you better before I say anything else."

Mewtwo looked at me as if he had more to say, but just then the front door squeaked loudly as it opened. I looked at Mewtwo's face to see if I could tell who was entering the house by his expression, and Ash's cheery "Hey!" confirmed the almost instant lightening of his eyes.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

I pictured Ash walking through the door with Pikachu perched on his shoulder.

"We came as soon as we could," I heard him say from the entrance.

After carefully applying the gel to the rest of his leg, I immediately stood up and ran over to Ash, giving him a hug that nearly knocked him over.

"Glad you could join us," I sighed, letting my forehead rest on his shoulder.

"Sorry, I had to come up with an excuse to get out of the house. Mom's super protective of our time whenever I come home to visit, and she doesn't know that Mewtwo is here yet."

Pikachu hopped off his shoulder and said, "Pika pii!"

_"__Hey, where's my hug?" _he asked indignantly.

"I didn't forget you, little buddy!" I said, letting Ash go and allowed Pikachu to jump into my arms. He nuzzled my nose with his, sending a light shock through my face. I giggled and shuddered in response.

Ash's voice finally reached my ears, and I looked over to see that he was already gabbing with Mewtwo about something. Mewtwo was not responding verbally, but for some reason his voice was also somewhat audible in my head as he replied to Ash.

"C'mon Pikachu," I whispered, walking over to join them. I let Pikachu hop off of my shoulder and onto the coffee table, then got back on my knees and quickly resumed putting gel on his cuts.

"And why are you talking to me with telepathy? Are you in that much pain?" Ash asked, concerned.

_It is more efficient this way, _he lied.

"Actually, I didn't finish putting ointment on him yet. He's . . . still paralyzed," I said, purposefully trailing off at the end.

Ash looked at me like I had three eyes before asking, "He's paralyzed? What happened?"

"It's a long story . . ." I sighed.

Ash frowned and looked back at Mewtwo.

"Did you give her a really hard time? You knew it wasn't safe in that cave."

_And you knew that I did not want to leave. Were you really expecting anything less?_ he replied, his dull eyes steadily brightening at the sight of his friend.

"I told her not to attack you! But she had to paralyze you in order to get you to leave?"

I tuned out again as they started arguing. I carefully finished applying gel to his torso and small amounts on his face. When that was done, I began to bandage the wounds with gauze. After a few minutes, Mewtwo and Ash began to discuss what happened since they had last seen each other; I was too lost in my own thoughts to eavesdrop effectively.

_I guess Ash never technically said where Mewtwo was going once I caught him . . . will he be taking him now?_

I carefully bandaged his leg as I thought about this.

_He shouldn't, he needs to rest here . . . maybe for just one or two days. But I'll definitely send him to Ash before my Pokémon come home, they might not take too kindly to him being here after what happened today._

I placed some gauze over the wound on his torso and began taping over the edges.

_But even so . . . it might be fun to train a Pokémon as strong as him. Once he's not dying, anyway._

I paused to look up at Ash and Mewtwo and noticed that Mewtwo was looking down at me. After a moment of confusion, it clicked that he heard all of the things I was just thinking. I felt my cheeks heat up once again, but Mewtwo had turned his attention back to Ash before I could even look away.

_Why are you so nosey? I told you to get out of my head! _I snapped at him.

_And I told you that I cannot control what I hear,_he replied.

_How can you listen to me and Ash at the same time?!_

_One of my many talents,_ he replied dryly.

I ignored him and went back to what I was doing. I thought about my Pokémon and wondered how they were recovering, but I was also able to listen in on some of their conversation during this time.

"Mewtwo, you'll be kind to her, won't you? Lilly is a very caring person," Ash had said at one point.

_It may be possible to . . . tolerate her_, was his reply.

"That's not a yes, this has to work!"

_I said that it may be possible, did I not? _

Ash sighed dramatically, then asked, "Can't you ever promise anything?"

As soon as I finished bandaging up what felt like nearly every inch of Mewtwo, they seemed to be finished with their conversation. I got out a paralyze heal from my bag, sprayed Mewtwo with it, and in seconds he was levitating about half an inch off the ground, very gingerly stretching his limbs aside from his left arm.

I was still impressed by his height.

Ash stood up and addressed me with a question, "So Lilly, what do you think?"

"I was too focused to listen to any of that. Think about what?" I asked, unaware of what he was talking about.

"Will you let Mewtwo stay with you for some time? Just so that the Rockets can lose his trail?"

I almost choked on the air that I swallowed.

"O-oh," I said in surprise, then I added, "I thought he was going to stay with you? You only wanted me to catch him for you, right?"

"Yeah, but, then I realized that Team Rocket is always on my trail when I least expect it, you know?" he laughed and scratched the back of his head.

I hesitated, then added unwillingly, "How long is . . . awhile?"

"Will you really? I know he messed up your Pokémon today, but he can be really friendly once you—"

"Ashton, do not lie to her—"

"Mewtwo, don't say that! You do have some compassion in you, even if you think you don't. You just need to learn how to use it better."

I had to stop myself from rolling my eyes.

Ash noticed, then smirked at me and aggressively threw an arm around my shoulders.

"And what better person to teach you than the definition of goodness itself, Lilly Prescott?"

I looked at Ash as if he had grown a third eye.

"I'm sorry, me?"

"You heard me. And don't try to tell me you don't have any compassion either, 'cause I've seen it. You can't help but be nice to everybody, even if you don't like them. Why shouldn't that apply to Mewtwo?"

I snorted with laughter and undid myself from his grasp, saying "You just haven't seen my mean side yet."

Ash frowned disapprovingly.

"Do I not get a say in this? I cannot have two . . . _children_ making these decisions for me," Mewtwo snapped.

He tried to cross his arms over his chest in defiance but remembered his broken rib before making that mistake.

"You know, he's right, too," Ash said in agreement.

"When have I _ever_ been wrong?"

"Mewtwo, why don't you think it over while Lilly and I go talk about more stuff?"

"Stuff?" I asked weakly, suddenly feeling exhausted.

"Yeah, stuff. Wait here while we go talk, alright Mewtwo?"

Mewtwo scowled when he asked, "And what exactly will you be discussing? What are you trying to hide?"

"Er . . . whose house you'll be staying at, of course," Ash laughed, scratching the back of his neck with his hand and returning his gaze sheepishly.

Mutinously, he stared into Ash's eyes; I could tell that he was trying to read his thoughts.

The look vanished and was replaced with one of satisfaction, "No matter . . . it is of no importance."

"Go on. I will not follow," he said as he rose off the ground and sprawled out once more on the couch.

Pikachu sat on the coffee table and said, "Pikachu!"

"_I'll stay here, too_."

"I agree, Pikachu should stay here," I said.

"Alright, then let's go Lilly," Ash said and walked out the door before I could argue against it.

I sighed and walked toward the door, glanced one more time back at Mewtwo as I slipped on a pair of flip flops, and went out into the night.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

"Can't we just stay in the house and talk?" I begged.

As I was finishing that sentence, I let out a dramatic yawn in an effort to show him how exhausted I was.

"Let's just talk tomorrow, Ash. It's so late, and I haven't even showered yet. Also, I don't think I should be leaving Mewtwo inside the house by himself . . . hey, are you even listening to me?"

Clearly ignoring me, Ash whipped out a Pokéball and released his Charizard, who also yawned as he stretched his wings.

I was beginning to grow frustrated; I sat down on the ground, trying my hardest to persuade him as I said, "Let's talk right here. This is far enough from the house, right?"

"Lilly, are you crazy? Mewtwo's only twenty feet away, I'm sure he can hear us right now!"

"I'm just not so sure that he's going to . . . behave while I'm gone," I admitted.

Ash's eyes rolled back so far into his head that I thought they were going to detach from his retinas.

"He's a Pokémon, not a baby; he'll be fine for a few minutes. Besides, Pikachu's with him," he insisted.

"Is _that_ supposed to make me feel better?"

"Did it not work?"

"Ash, what Pikachu going to do if Mewtwo wants to destroy my Aunt's house as revenge for being captured? Nuzzle him until he's paralyzed?" I asked as I stood up and let out my Fearow from its Pokéball.

"Mewtwo can't even protect himself right now if someone were to walk in, and he definitely can't rearrange your house; you've seen for yourself how helpless he is right now. And besides, he knows doing anything to hurt you will upset me now."

I sighed and pressed my fingers to my temples, then took a deep breath.

"Alright, fine Ash," I said as I exhaled.

I hesitantly got on Fearow's back, and he followed Ash's Charizard as they set off due northeast.

"Where are we even going?!" I shouted over the wind.

"We're going to Celadon! Even if he could, Mewtwo definitely isn't going to follow us there." Ash shouted back.

"Wait, why Celadon?"

"Because of the Rocket Hideout in the Game Corner!"

"Ash, they evacuated that building a long time ago!"

"Oh right, I forgot . . . Charizard! Head to Isle Four!"

"Chari!"

_ "__Yeah, yeah!" _

Charizard veered to the right, and Fearow followed close behind. After about half an hour of flying we finally landed on the beach of Isle Four, home to the Team Rocket Headquarters; there are probably still some Rockets there today.

"Good thinking," I said breathlessly.

"Yeah, I know," Ash said, putting his hands on his hips.

We left our Pokémon to enjoy the sand and started walking along the beach, listening to the waves lapping against the shore. The effect it had on me was almost immediate; I did not realize that my heart had been pounding as if we were still in the cave.

"So . . . long day, huh?" Ash said finally, sticking his hands in his pockets.

"You have no idea," I mumbled sleepily, stumbling along the sand, "we went through . . . a lot."

"I'm just amazed that you caught Mewtwo. How did you pull it off?" he asked, sticking his hands in the pockets of his jacket.

"Well, it wasn't easy," I grunted, "It took me forever to find Arceus—"

"Wait, you had to find Arceus? Metwo really took out all of your Pokémon?" Ash asked, dumbfounded.

" . . . Yeah."

"I mean I know how powerful he is, but I didn't think things would go that far," Ash murmured.

"I still didn't even find Arceus, he just came out himself," I admitted.

"Well it's a good think that he did, right?"

"Yeah, Mewtwo really would have killed all of us if Arceus didn't make an appearance."

"I'm so sorry that happened, I should have been there to calm him down," Ash said, looking toward the ground.

I shook my head vigorously before responding with, "No, don't be sorry. He was like that because it was the only place where he felt safe, he told me himself."

"He said that to you?" Ash asked, mildly surprised.

"Yeah. You did the right thing by not coming along, it would have only made things worse," I laughed a little bit.

I plopped down on the sand and fell on my back, not really caring about the grit that would get in my hair. Ash laid down beside me and we gazed at the stars together in silence.

"I just . . . I can't believe he nearly killed them all," I whispered after a moment, "I've never been in a fight that bad before."

"Don't feel bad. Nobody could be prepared to fight a Pokémon like that," Ash said quickly.

"But . . . I should have been. You had told me what to expect. And my team is so powerful, so in sync with each other, and he just . . . he practically ran circles around them. How can a Pokémon be that strong?"

"He was literally engineered to be the strongest Pokémon in the world," Ash chuckled.

"I know, I just . . . I can't wrap my head around it."

"I remember feeling the same way when I first faced him. He's too strong for his own good."

"Right, but recently he was practically beaten to death by Team Rocket!" I exclaimed, throwing my hands in the air and letting them drop on the ground again, "How were they able to do that when my team could barely lay a finger on him? What kinds of things do you think Team Rocket did to him?"

"For someone who doesn't like this Pokémon, you seem to really be interested in him already," Ash remarked casually.

"I'm not," I said quickly, flicking some sand his way, "I just want to know what happened. He was so weak today and yet he was able to take out my Pokémon; how did a healthy Mewtwo get caught off guard enough for Team Rocket to do that much damage to him?"

I heard Ash shrug in the sand, then he said, "Guess you'll just have to ask him that, won't you?"

"I'm not going to ask him anything else," I said stubbornly, "because I don't have to talk to him again after this evening."

Ash bit his lip, and neither of us spoke for the moment. I could tell he was going to say something else, but he also knew I'd probably yell at him for it.

"Lilly," he started, his tone cautious, "I know exactly how dangerous he can be. I kind of had the same experience the first time I met him . . . well, you already know that story. But I really think it would be a good for the both of you if you took him in."

I snorted, "The _both_ of us? Why, so he can try to kill my Pokémon again?"

"Uh . . . no . . . I was just thinking . . . hey, wait a minute!"

He sat up, "Didn't you tell me one time that Arceus said that you should have some kind of bodyguard during its healing process?"

"My Pokémon already protect me from all kinds of danger. They're perfectly capable of filling that role," I said, unsure of where he was going with this.

"Yeah, but what if you had a really powerful one that just stayed by your side—"

"_Wait_, wait, wait . . ."

I stared at him in disbelief for a moment, having finally put two and two together.

"Are you saying that _Mewtwo_ should act as a guardian to me?!" I practically shouted.

"Jeez Lilly, I'm right next to you!" he said, covering his ears jokingly.

"Well apparently you can't hear yourself; even you would never suggest something that stupid," I retorted.

"Actually, that's exactly what I'm suggesting. Nobody can hate you, Lilly. It's only a matter of time before he comes to really trust you, and . . ." Ash paused for a moment, "maybe he'll even—"

"Do you still not hear yourself right now? I don't even know him, Ash!" I whispered loudly.

"Well—"

"What makes you think he'll want to stay with a little girl he can't even take seriously? He probably thinks that I just sit around and play with dolls, paint my nails, or watch makeup tutorials—"

"He just needs some—"

"And if that isn't reason enough," I interrupted yet again, "I _definitely _don't trust him enough to tell him a single thing about Arceus! He already tried asking me about him earlier, as if he deserves any kind of information from me after how he acted!"

"Trust is a thing that forms over time, it doesn't just happen when you first meet somebody," Ash argued.

"Well I certainly would not be expecting somebody who is going to be my _guardian_ to try to kill me and my Pokémon the first day I meet them!" I snapped back.

"I think you just need to give him a chance—"

"And I don't even need one Guardian! I'm capable of taking care of myself; as I've been doing for the past three years, thank you very much!"

"Lilly, you've never taken care of yourself," Ash sighed.

I stopped talking and shot him a look, then asked, "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Your Pokémon have always taken care of you. When are you going to realize that you can't do everything on your own? Living with Arceus has never been a walk in the park for you, and you know it."

"I don't care, and I don't need help! I hate asking for it. Don't you see?"

I looked up at him, "Whenever I ask for help, someone gets hurt. When my Pokémon helped me today, they almost got killed!

"Lilly—"

"No, I'm done talking about it!" I said stubbornly, twisting around so that I was looking at the other side of the beach and away from Ash.

Ash heaved a big sigh behind me. He hesitated for a moment before he asked, "Do you know how many times my Pokémon and friends got hurt because of me?"

I didn't answer him.

"I've lost count, and I've only known them for a year. These things happen to everyone, Lilly. You're not alone on this," Ash said consolingly.

There was the sound of crunching as Ash laid down on the sand. I knew he was right; I just didn't want to admit it.

I turned a little bit back in his direction so that I could see him out of the corner of my eye.

"My parents are dead because of me," I said quietly, "I'm not sure why or how, but they got themselves killed all because of me."

"Lilly, you had no control over that. They must have loved you—"

"I know they loved me!" I shouted again, sitting up, "But you still don't get it, do you?"

I picked up my necklace and held it out so he could see it. Its colors were drawn out by the moonlight, and it emanated a soft glow. I wrapped my fingers tightly around it in my frustration.

"I have a . . . a thing living in this necklace that practically controls this universe, and I couldn't lift a finger to help my parents! I couldn't protect them! And even now I can't protect my Pokémon, or even myself."

I began to cry. Ash quickly sat up and put his arm around me comfortingly. I did not move for a moment, but eventually I gave in and let my head rest against his shoulder.

At that moment, I missed my parents more than ever. I knew they would not have had all the answers that I was looking for, but at least I would not have to be figuring this out all on my own.

After I had gotten my breathing back under control Ash finally spoke up.

"Lilly," he said quietly, "your Pokémon are there to help you through anything. They knew what they were getting themselves into; they needed to be with you today."

The light of the full moon sparkled off the waves. A large Krabby scuttled by, blowing bubbles. I fixed my gaze toward the ocean and saw a Magikarp leap out of the water and drop back in like a rock.

As my crying was reduced to occasional sniffling I said, "H-he told me that he couldn't love. Do you actually believe that?"

Ash turned to look at me, his mouth parting in surprise.

"Wait, he really admitted that to you? Already?"

"Why do you sound so surprised? You're the one who told me to ask about his defects—"

"Yeah, but I didn't actually think he would tell you anything!" he said, his excitement continuing to escalate.

"Then why did you tell me to ask in the first place? To make me look like an idiot?"

"It wasn't 'till I saw him at Mt. Quena that he told me he couldn't love. And he tells you an hour after you catch him? That's saying something."

"Well, not really, I asked him," I insisted.

"He wouldn't have told you if he didn't trust you. He must know what kind of person you are!" Ash sounded excited.

"Or maybe this is a sign that he doesn't know how to keep his mouth shut," I muttered under my breath.

"Trust me," Ash sighed knowingly, "he does."

I didn't respond right away; I just stretched my arms and rubbed some of the sand off my toes. Ash stopped talking, realizing that I was thinking the situation over. We sat there, listening to the waves some more. A few minutes later, I sighed and got off the sand.

"Well," I said as I stretched my arms to the sky, "I guess I'll have to learn to control my thoughts, won't I?"

Ash looked relieved when he said, "Thanks. You won't regret it."

I smiled and extended my hand to help him up off the sand.

"I'm sure I will."


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

After another half hour, we were on the grass outside my house. Ash and I climbed off of our Pokémon and watched as they began wandering about Pallet Town.

"Are you gonna stay over tonight? Mewtwo might appreciate you being there," I said, checking my Pokénav for the time.

"Nah, you can handle it. Besides, I think it'd be better if I went to visit my Mom. She's probably still up waiting for me."

"I understand. You guys should come over for lunch sometime soon, then!"

"Alright. I'll tell her."

We stood there for a moment. I kept looking back toward the house, nervous about going back inside.

"It's going to be fine," Ash said, interrupting my thoughts, "I don't think he's going to give you a hard time tonight."

"We'll see," I sighed, starting back toward the house.

"Goodnight Lilly!" Ash called after me.

"Goodnight," I said, raising my hand back to him.

"If you need help, just call me on the Pokénav."

"Thanks."

With that, he walked over to his house. I stepped onto the porch and stared at the door for a moment, then sighed and opened the door.

"I'm back," I called.

Closing it behind me, I saw Mewtwo sitting upright on the couch watching TV. As I put my backpack down by the kitchen table, a deep, familiar voice sounded inside my head:

_About time._

Though he had used it earlier, the telepathy was still startling to me.

"I'm right here, I could hear you if you had just said it out loud."

_As I stated earlier, this is more efficient._

I ignored his curtness and instead asked, "Did Pikachu put the TV on for you?"

_In case you forgot, I was created to be the most intelligent Pokémon in the world. My mental capacity far exceeds any human, especially yours. I think I can learn how to work a television remote._

Trying not to snap back with something equally rude I said, "I'm glad you figured it out."

The hardwood floor was cold on my feet, so I decided to go upstairs to put on socks. Once I pulled them on, I ran through the hallway and started down the stairs, but I stepped too far out on the edge of the first step and slipped the rest of the way down. I landed in the living room behind the couch with a thud. Mewtwo jumped slightly but did not turn to see what had happened.

"What are you doing?" he asked out loud.

"Just," I stood up again, "walking in my fuzzy socks."

He went back to watching TV. I tried to think of something to say, but he saved me the trouble by asking, "Who else resides here? This house does not belong to you, does it?"

"Actually, it's my Aunt's house. But she's visiting my other Aunt in Hoenn for a few weeks, so we don't need to worry about her coming here and seeing you."

Mewtwo nodded. I shuffled a little closer to the couch and asked, "Uhm . . . do you need anything?"

"A glass of water would suffice," he said.

"Sure," I said, turning to go into the kitchen and get him some tap water.

"What? No, not that water. Do you really not have a spring nearby?" he asked, clearly disgusted by what I was about to do.

I stood there for a moment, not sure of what to do.

"I . . . don't think so?"

"Fine, I will get it myself," he sighed.

As he spoke, I heard the kitchen cabinet where the crystal glasses were kept open and turned in time to see a tall, thin glass emerge. Suddenly, it vanished.

"Where'd it go?" I asked curiously.

"Wait," Mewtwo said, eyes still glued to the screen.

Then as suddenly as it disappeared, it reappeared in front of Mewtwo full of water. He moved it closer to his mouth and drank it in one gulp.

"I sent it to a spring in the Hoenn Region," he said when he finished, levitating the empty glass back to the kitchen.

"A spring? Which one?"

"It is located in that cave . . . next to what humans call Fallarbor Town. The water there is untouched."

"Really? I never saw it when I was there," I said, mildly surprised.

"It lies concealed under a rock."

"**Coming up next! I caught up with expert trainer Lilly yesterday and got lucky enough to ask her a few questions!**" said Rich, the host of "A Day in the Life of a Trainer".

"Hey, my interview's on!" I said excitedly as I plopped myself on the couch next to Mewtwo. He shot me a look of irritation but did not protest.

"**Hello, Lilly! Lovely weather we're having today isn't it?**" Rich had greeted me cheerfully.

"**It is! It's a perfect day for training, right team?**"

My Pokémon all grunted in harmony. I couldn't keep from giggling at their response. Mewtwo snorted.

"**I hate to interrupt your training session, but I've got a few questions for you that everyone is begging to hear answers to!**"

"**We've got a few minutes to spare! Ask away!**" I had replied with a wave of my hand.

"**How is a young person like you able to connect so deeply with her Pokémon and train them to grow so strong?**"

I had thought carefully about my answer before replying.

"**Well, to me, my Pokémon are my best friends! I would still be stuck in Littleroot Town if it hadn't been for my very first Pokémon, Mudkip! We all work together to help each other become stronger, myself included!**" I exclaimed.

**"****Incredible! Next question: Which Pokémon is your favorite?"**

That one was not so hard for me to answer.

"**I love all Pokémon, I have no favorites. Any shape, size, or type!"**

As I said those words, my Arbok came up from behind and nudged my side with her big head. I had giggled again.

"**Isn't that just the sweetest thing? And now for my final question: Just how far are you and your Pokémon willing to go?**"

"**We're not gonna stop till we're the best of the best! Right team?!**" I shouted enthusiastically.

The entire team roared and stomped in agreement.

"**Amazing! Well there you have it, folks: Lilly and her team won't stop till they reach the top! I'm Rich Armstrong, and that's the news now everyone knows!**"

After Rich spoke those words, the PokéMart commercial started playing.

"What'd you think? Am I on my way to stardom?" I asked Mewtwo.

"I think," he said, "that was an absolutely pointless story."

"Pointless?" I asked, feeling a little hurt.

"Are there not more important things to alert humans of? How bored was this man?" Mewtwo continued, gesturing toward the TV as if Rich was still there.

Mewtwo finally looked at me and asked, "Why are you so passionate about Pokémon?"

I blinked, surprised that Rich had not asked me that question himself.

"Well, that's a hard question,' I sighed, trying hard to think of a real answer.

"I guess . . . each Pokémon has something different to offer. Even the same kinds of Pokémon have different personalities and strengths. There really is no end to the things you can learn about them, so I guess that's why I love them so much."

"I see," was all he said in response.

We sat there for a few moments, staring at the commercial. Then Mewtwo spoke so quietly that I almost did not hear him.

"My wounds do not ache as greatly as they did previously . . . thank you."

"Oh," I said, surprised by the sudden gratitude, "it's no problem. I'm glad to hear that you're in less pain."

There was another silence.

"After some consideration, I have decided . . . to stay here while I recover," he added.

"Wait . . . really?" I asked, trying to disguise my shock.

"Yes. Clearly, it is not my preference, but Ash did have a point. With the frequency of encounters he has with Team Rocket, it would only be a matter of time before they discover my location."

I sighed, knowing fully well that he was right.

"In addition," he added, "it is the least you can do after attacking me and taking me from the cave."

I opened my mouth to protest what he had just said to me but closed it again and took a deep breath.

"You put a muzzle on, now? This is much less entertaining than it was a few hours ago," he sighed, getting up from the couch.

"There's a spare bedroom upstairs, you can sleep there," I said, ignoring his remark, "I'll show you where it is if you follow me."

I walked, he flew, up the stairs, and made a right to the guest room. I went into the room and flopped onto the bed.  
"Well, this is it."

I had not been in the room before that moment; I never had a reason to go inside. It was a small room, with pale yellow walls and a dark mahogany floor. The bed was in the far-right corner. There were two windows; one in the back of the room, and one on the wall facing the door. Lacey white drapes hung from each frame, and there was a white dresser on the left side of the room. The blankets on the bed were white like the drapes.

I looked at Mewtwo, because to my surprise he had not made a comment during the time I was looking around. He was also examining the room, but with a look of mild disgust on his face.

"You don't like it?" I asked, swinging my feet off the side of the bed.

"It . . . it will do. A room is a room."

"It's the yellow walls, isn't it?"

He ignored me and went to look out the window on the far side of the room.

"Uhm . . . I can try to change it if Arceus will let me," I thought aloud.

"That really—"

I stood up before he could finish his sentence.

"Too late, I'm already doing it."

I walked toward the opposite wall, touched it with my hand, and closed my eyes.

When I opened them again, my hand was against a black wall.

"This is perfect," Mewtwo said quickly.

I turned around and looked at what I had created. The windows still let the moonlight in, but everything was black with the exception of the lamp on the black dresser.

"I guess all you're good for is redecorating," I sighed, looking down at my dimly glowing Opal.

The small lamp suddenly flicked on. I looked at Mewtwo curiously and saw him looking around the room, his face still as blank as it was before. I had no idea what it was that attracted him to the dark, but after a moment his eyes lit up ever so slightly at my redecorating work.

But the white blanket was still on the black bed.

"Never mind that," he said as I the thought crossed my mind, "I have no use for a . . . blanket."

The blanket lifted off the bed, neatly folded itself, and whizzed out of the room.

"It lies on your bed," Mewtwo answered the questioning look on my face.

"Oh."

I looked down at the floor, which was also black.

"Beginning immediately, I will rest for the next several days," Mewtwo said, moving toward the bed.

"Wait, several days? But—"

"During this period, you are not to disturb me under any circumstances," he continued, still facing the bed, "is that understood?"

"But it's not good to stay so still—"

"Is that understood?" he repeated, looking back toward me.

I opened my mouth to retort that I would probably need to change his bandages, but I reminded myself that arguing with him was pointless.

"With the exception of dressing my wounds," he added suddenly, reading my thoughts again, "which you will do every twelve hours until I have recovered enough to begin healing myself."

"You got it," I sighed, trying not to roll my eyes.

"That will be all, then."

I watched him get onto the bed, flinching as he did so before I walked out of the room and shut the door behind me.

I couldn't remember the last time I was that tired as I took pajamas from the draw in my room and walked to the bathroom. But when I saw my face in the mirror, I quickly decided to take a shower.

Not much later, hot water was relaxing me, washing the difficulties of yesterday away. Without realizing it I had absentmindedly began to sing, though I could not remember the name of the song at the time.

"Excuse me," a voice said.

I screamed and slipped in my surprise, falling into the bathtub with a thud.

"Ow!"

Carefully getting to my feet, I quickly turned the water off and peeked around the shower curtain. Mewtwo was standing in the bathroom with a look of irritation on his face.

"Mewtwo!" I shouted, ducking behind the curtain again.

"What are you—"

"You can't just appear in the bathroom while I'm showering! O-or doing anything in here!" I added quickly.

"I—"

"Get out into the hallway!" I cut him off once more, closing the curtain completely.

I heard him sigh dramatically, then there was a silence indicating that he had left. I finished showering, then wrapped a towel around myself and opened the door, surprised that he was actually waiting there for me.

"What is it? I thought you wanted to rest so badly," I said irritably, rubbing my head where I had hit it.

"What was that noise?" he asked.

"I . . . do you mean that thud? You surprised me, I slipped and smacked my head," I said, confused.

"No, that . . . that humming noise," Mewtwo said.

"You heard that?" I asked, a little astonished.

"I have excellent hearing," Mewtwo said impatiently, waiting for an answer.

"I was just singing to myself," I said, not really knowing what he was talking about.

"It was you?" he asked, his surprise thinly disguised.

"Yeah . . . why?"

"Never mind. Just . . . stop doing that, I need to rest," was all he said in reply.

He shook his head and drifted back to his room. By then I was finished washing up anyway; I put on my pajamas, brushed my teeth, and walked into my own room. I flopped into my bed and was just about to fall into a deep slumber when Mewtwo spoke inside my head and made me jump awake.

_I thought you said nobody else was living here, _he said.

_No, it's just you and I here, _I thought back, still mildly irritated.

_There is somebody else in this room, _he replied.

I bolted out of bed and ran to his room, throwing open the door and turning on the light. To my surprise, there was nobody else in the room.

I shot him a look of annoyance and asked, "Are you trying to play a prank on me? I'm exhausted, I'm in no mood for games."

"I do not play games," he said.

"Then why is there nobody except you and me in here?"

"I swear it, she was standing right next to me," Mewtwo said, his voice sounding uneasy.

"She? A woman was in here?" I asked, tilting my head to one side.

"Well, no. She was a little girl with green eyes and hair. Perhaps a few years younger than yourself. Do you have any siblings?"

"I'm an only child, and I . . . don't think I've ever seen a girl with green hair in my entire life," I said, growing more confused by the minute.

"Are you sure you didn't just dream her up?"

"No, she was definitely here. She was wearing a white dress, and she stood there looking at me like she knew who I was," he insisted.

I walked over to him and lightly pressed the back of my hand to his forehead.

"I do _not _have a fever. I swear she was here!" he practically growled.

"I never said you were," I said quickly, withdrawing my hand.

"I can hear all your thoughts," he reminded me for the second time that night.

I looked around the room one more time, bewildered by what had just come to pass.

"Just . . . call me if you see her again. I really think you were just dreaming—"

"I have never had a dream before, so that would be impossible," he said flatly.

I looked at him quizzically in response.

"You've never had a dream? Not even once?"

"I have not."

I stared at him for a minute, then shook my head.

"You're the weirdest Pokémon I've ever met," I sighed, turning to shut off the light.

"You are the weirdest human I have ever met," he said in reply while my back was turned.

I paused and looked over my shoulder, then said in my most deadpan voice, "It only gets weirder from here."

Mewtwo's brow creased in confusion.

"Was that supposed to be a threat?" he asked.

"No, sorry, good night," I said quickly, closing the door behind me.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Keeping quiet around the house was easy while it was just us for the first two days. The only thing Mewtwo permitted me to do for him was to change his bandages; I was not even allowed to speak to him while doing that. Immediately after taping the final edge of gauze, he would send me back downstairs. I was too nervous to leave the house during this time, so I watched a lot of televised Pokémon battles and contests.

On the third day, I received a message from the Pokémon Center saying that my Pokémon were ready to be picked up. At first I was worried that they would all be unhappy with me for letting them down during the last battle, but I walked in they were all waiting for me in the lobby. Ampharos was the first to run over and hug me, and everybody else followed suit. When we walked outside of the building, I broke the news to them that Mewtwo would be staying with us for a while.

Of course, there were a lot of protests at first.

"_Wait, you're letting him stay with us? After what he did?!_" Gyarados had roared, slapping her tail on the ground in anger.

It was drizzling outside, but I was thankful that I decided to do this before going back home to Pallet Town; Mewtwo would have been furious about the commotion for sure.

"Gyarados, not so loud!" I aggressively hissed, "nobody can know that we have him with us."

"_Is this only for a few days? How long do we have to keep him?_" Ampharos asked uneasily.

"It's just until he's strong enough to protect himself! Then he'll be gone, it'll be like none of this ever happened," I explained, trying to calm her down.

"_Lilly is there any possibility that Ash could look after Mewtwo instead?_" Ninetails asked patiently, though she was squinting her eyes in the light rain, "_He put us through a lot, I don't know how I feel about living under the same roof as someone who tried to kill me._"

I sighed before responding, "I know he did, and he tried to kill me too. But Ash is constantly getting chased by Team Rocket, so we thought that Mewtwo would be safer with us while he's recovering."

"_I think you're doing the right thing_."

Togekiss came to my side and continued, "_We all fought hard and risked a lot to get him out of Cerulean Cave. We should see this through to the end!_"

"_I'm with Lilly on thisssss one, too,_" Arbok added quietly.

We all turned to look at her, startled that she said something.

"_If Team Rocket catchessssss him again, everything we went through will have been completely pointlessssss_."

"Thank you, Arbok," I said warmly.

"_Fine, whatever, as long as I don't have to look at his mug," _Gyarados muttered, looking sullen.

"Well, you definitely don't have to worry about that right now . . ."

When I sheepishly told them that we had to be silent in and around the house, there were audible groans from everybody.

A few more days passed, all in silence. I still did not want to leave the house while Mewtwo was there by himself, but I could tell that my Pokémon were beginning to become antsy from being cooped up. It was raining outside anyway, so I kept using that as an excuse for not leaving the house to train.

"Lilly, the rain has never stopped you from training before," Ampharos had quietly groaned at me on the fifth day.

"Well I wouldn't want to get sick while I'm looking after somebody whose life is in my hands, you know," I had retorted with more edge than necessary.

Though I didn't want to it seemed as though being stuck at home was beginning to get to me as well. When the next day came and I had to change his dressings again, I finally steeled my courage and went upstairs to confront Mewtwo about getting out of bed. Despite my best efforts, he was absolutely insistent on remaining in the dark room, using the same argument about regaining his energy and trying to heal himself a bit.

"But you have to move around!" I had said, turning on the lamp in an attempt to change his mind, "It would be good for you."

"Are you the scientist who created me? I think I know what I need to recover my strength," Mewtwo grumbled back a sarcastic reply, lying on the bed with his back toward me.

"You seem pretty healthy to me," I said, doing my utmost to suppress the annoyed tone creeping into my voice.

"Extinguish the light. I will come out when I am ready," he said as he flicked his tail impatiently.

Frustrated, I shut the light off and left the room.

On the morning of the seventh day, I woke up to sunlight shining through the window of my bedroom. Excited by the possibility of finally leaving the house that day, I rolled out of bed and went straight to Mewtwo's room to see what his condition was like.

"Mewtwo," I called, opening the door, "you should get up today! The weather is much. . ."

When I walked into the room, it looked as though there was nobody resting on the bed. I flicked on the light switch and saw that I was right; there was nobody on the bed at all.

"Mewtwo?" I called, suddenly nervous.

I looked around the room frantically, confused by his sudden disappearance. I checked inside the closet, behind the door, and even under the bed, but there was no sign of him at all. I ran out into the hallway again and in my haste almost slipped down the stairs.

I clumsily stumbled into the living room and shouted, "Everybody, wake up! I can't find Mewtwo anywhere!"

Togekiss, who was sleeping on the couch, squawked when he sat up. Ninetails, in the kitchen, made the floor rumble when she got to her feet. Arbok snorted when her small eyelids flew open. Ampharos jumped up with a cry.

_"__What do you mean, 'can't find him'? He's been sleeping in the same spot for days,"_ Togekiss tweeted sleepily.

"I mean he's not in his room! Are you sure you didn't hear him come down here_?_"

_ "__I would certainly know if I saw his royal highness come down here,"_ Ninetails grumbled, irritated about being woken up.

"_I haven't heard him at all, come to think of it_," Ampharos lazily stretched her short, thick legs.

"_Why are you panicking, Lilly?_" Arbok asked.

_"__Arbok . . ._" Ampharos started.

"_What? He'sss probably fine. He can take care of himsssself._"

In my panic, I spun around and addressed Arbok angrily.

"Do you know what'll happen to him if Team Rocket find him before I do, Arbok?"

Arbok's eyes widened, and Ninetails began to warn me instead when she said, "Lilly—"

"They'll kill him! He won't even have time to vanish before they unleash their secret weapon, especially since he's still injured! And it'll be my fault if he—"

"It is a bit _early_ to be shouting this loudly, is it not?"

Startled, I turned around to see who had asked me that question. I gasped and sighed with relief, almost at the same time, when I saw that it was Mewtwo,

"Mewtwo!"

He was massaging the sides of his head with his fingertips with his eyes closed, his face contorted in discomfort.

"What . . . on _Earth_ . . . is all the yelling about?" Mewtwo growled.

"I . . . but . . . you—"

"I thought I told you I wanted to rest!"

"_Hey, you're the one who was hiding from us_!" Ninetails growled in response.

"_Lilly practically had a panic attack looking for you! She's constantly worried about your safety, how did you think she would react if you disappeared suddenly_?"

_"__Don't you sssstart complaining!_" Arbok spat.

"_Yeah!_" Ampharos chimed in.

"Hey guys," I said, turning around to look at my Pokémon again, "I'm sure there's a reason why Mewtwo wasn't around—"

"You say that I was hiding?"

Mewtwo grunted in amusement, then followed with, "Nonsense. I was asleep on the bed, but—"

"But I checked there!" I protested, looking back at him.

". . . but I was invisible," he finished finally.

I stared at him for a moment before asking, "Why?"

"I woke up invisible. I could not have been in that state for longer than a few minutes or else I would still be exhausted; being invisible for extended periods of time takes a lot of energy."

". . . Oh."

_ "__Wait . . . you were invisible?" _Togekiss chirruped.

"Correct. I was not," he glared at Ninetails, "hiding . . ."

Ninetails returned the glare, but she was no match for Mewtwo. I'm not sure anyone could have matched his glare.

"So Mewtwo," I said, trying to break the tension between them, "the team's feeling much better, and they've been itching to get out and train again. Since you're looking . . . somewhat healthier, do you want to join us?"

Mewtwo's look softened just enough to not kill me when he turned his attention back my way.

"Where is it that you are planning on going?" he asked after a moment.

"Oh, ah . . . perhaps the Sevi Islands?"

"The Sevi Islands? Why?"

_ "__Are you kidding? It's sssssso much fun to train there!"_ Arbok exclaimed.

_"__Especially with all the strong Pokemon to fight!"_ Ampharos squeaked.

"And not a lot of people visit that area of Kanto, so I think you would be safe if you came along. But if you don't think you're well enough to come with us today—"

"What do you mean, 'not well enough'?"

_Oh jeez,_ I thought to myself.  
"I just meant—"

"Are you suggesting that I am weak?"

As he asked that, his eyes flickered blue for a moment.

"I just don't want you overdoing it, Mewtwo," I said quickly, putting my hands up protectively.

He seemed to relax a little when I said that.

"Overdoing what?"

"You've recovered a lot, but your injuries are probably still healing. I would hate for something to happen and for them to get worse, but . . ."

I glanced outside the window near the front door before finishing with, "I think the sunshine would do you some good!"

I turned my attention back to him and chuckled when I added, "I know that we're trying to hide you from Team Rocket and that you like the dark, but it's not like you're a cave Pokémon. We should get you outside!"

He looked down at himself when I made eye contact with him, seemingly to examine his own condition.

"Well at the very least, I am now strong enough to deflect attacks," he said finally, "an excursion with you and your Pokémon should be fine."


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

A short while later, the six of us were strolling along Kindle Road toward Mt. Ember. We would have gotten there much sooner if Mewtwo had not fought me tooth and nail about getting back into his Pokéball for the trip there.

"You are not being serious, are you?" he asked me the moment I pulled it out.

"What, the Pokéball?" I asked, looking at it.

"You expect me to go back in there?"

"It's just until we get to the island, you can't get yourself there yet, right?"

"Forget it. I would not be caught dead in a Pokéball ever again, that was humiliating," he grunted, turning his nose in the air.

"If you hadn't been so stubborn, you could have been in an Ultra Ball instead!" I shot back.

"If you were a better trainer, you could have caught me in an Ultra Ball sooner," he said, turning around and floating back to the house.

"We were trying not to hurt you!" I called after him.

Unexpectedly, he stopped.

"You'll be out before you know it," I continued.

He sighed and turned around to come back toward me.

"Fine, but only for today," he grumbled, stopping once he was within range of the Pokéball.

It was the first sunny day in about a week; not even Mewtwo's tantrum was enough to dampen my mood. He was silent as he glided alongside us, eyes slightly narrowed from the bright sunlight. I stopped skipping and looked back at him to ask, "See? Isn't it such a nice day?"

"It is . . . incredibly sunny."

"Does it make you happy? Aren't you glad you came?"

"No. In fact, my eyes are tired from squinting."

"Well, it makes me happy!"

Mewtwo gently shook his head. I ran ahead of him and jumped onto Arbok. She hissed indignantly and pretended that I had actually taken her down by abruptly falling to the ground.

"Oof!" I grunted when I rolled off of her back.

"Actually . . ."

His voice sounded a little distant when he said, "I think it might rain soon."

"What?" I gasped.

I turned to look back at Mewtwo, who had finally caught up to Arbok and me.

"Don't say that! It just finished raining," I said threateningly.

He rolled his eyes and muttered something under his breath that I couldn't quite make out. Then the whole of his eyes turned blue as he slowly raised one of his hands and began turning it in circles. I crossed my arms over my chest and looked at him expectantly, but nothing changed.

Suddenly, dark clouds immediately covered the bright blue sky, blocking out the sunlight. The gentle breeze turned into a strong, howling wind that uprooted small plants and scattered them around the path.

It was then that heavy rain and lightning began to fall from the clouds. The rain felt like sharp, frozen needles on my skin. The lightning illuminated the dark sky, and the thunder was louder than our yells as my Pokemon and I quickly hurried toward the hot springs cavern. Once we were safely away from the storm, I looked outside and saw Mewtwo chuckling to himself with a force-field shrouding him, protecting his injuries from the stinging raindrops.

"_Wait, where's Gyarados_?" Ninetails asked suddenly.

After looking around for a moment, I started frantically calling her name. Ampharos giggled and pointed outside with her paw. I followed her gaze and saw that Gyarados was slithering about and opening her huge mouth to let the raindrops in.

I was furious with Mewtwo for pulling this prank; not because he got me sopping wet, but because Kindle Road is home to a variety of fire-type Pokémon that would not have had time to find shelter to escape this sudden storm. I went to the mouth of the cavern and called for Mewtwo to come to where I was standing. Still laughing, he drifted over to the cave and took the force-field off.

"What's the matter? Afraid of a little lightning?" he asked, his voice patronizing.

Shivering violently, I pushed my soaked hair from my eyes and said, "Th-this is not f-funny! Y-you're going to h-hurt th-the f-fire-types that l-l-live here!"

"Is that so? But look, Gyarados seems to enjoy it," he chuckled, gesturing toward the gleeful Pokémon rolling in the mud outside the cave. I had to smile too, but it quickly vanished when I saw a wild Rapidash gallop past the entrance as it desperately searched for shelter.

"M-Mewtwo, please m-make th-the storm g-go aw-way. P-Pokémon are g-getting hurt," I begged him as I began to hug myself in vain, trying to keep warm. Ninetails shook the water droplets off of her fur and moved close to me, wrapping her long tails around my body. I was almost instantly dried.

Mewtwo seemed to be growing annoyed when he asked, "Why am I being chastised by a child? I was trying to enjoy the day as you were."

"You're being what?"

He sighed and pressed his fingertips to his temples, "Why are you angry with me when you were the one who insisted that I go outside? Am I not permitted to enjoy myself?"

"Mewtwo, you're hurting other Pokemon," I said sternly, "You can't think that's fun!"

"Perhaps I do," he said stubbornly.

"Fine, stay here and be useless! I don't need you to do anything!" I shouted, my voice echoing off the cavern walls.

I ran past him and out into the storm, where I heard the various cries of Pokémon as they frantically searched for shelter from the sudden hurricane.

I threw my pack on the ground and cupped my hands around my mouth.

"Lugiaaaaaa!"

There was no response for a moment. Then, I heard a faint cry in the distance.

"Lugiaaaaaaaa!" I called again.

"_Giaaaaa_!"

The rain was pounding against my back, the lightning threatened to strike the waterlogged ground below my feet. I called once more, and this time I saw him leap out of the water and spread his wings out wide. When lightning struck the ocean, his skin shimmered in the light. He landed in front of me with a thud, looking perplexed by what was happening.

"Lugia, can you get rid of this storm?!" I shouted over the din of the thunder.

"_Who created this?_" his loud cry boomed as he looked around.

"_This is no ordinary storm. Did you do this?_"

"No, it wasn't me, I can't do this! One of my Pokémon did it! Can you make it go away before it floods the path?!" I shrieked as I noticed I was standing in at least six inches of chilly water.

"_Which Pokémon? Why can't they dispel the storm themselves?_" he insisted.

"Lugia, please!"

Lugia nodded, spreading his giant wings once more and rising up into the dark sky. He circled around the island for a moment, then began singing a heart- wrenching song. His voice echoed through the island, and perhaps the neighboring islands heard it as well. I closed my eyes and breathed a sigh of relief as I felt the rain became softer. When I opened them again, I saw that the sky was beginning to clear up too.

The freezing rainwater quickly drained away from around my ankles and into the ocean nearby. In under a minute, the sky was blue, the sun was shining brightly, and the warm breeze gently ruffled my soaking hair. I saw Lugia taking off in the distance.

"Thank you!" I cried after him.

"Giiiiaaaaa!" he cried back.

Lugia's figure slowly faded into the horizon. I watched him go, still in awe that such a beautiful and powerful creature could really exist.

"It appears as though that was too much for you to handle."

I jumped in surprise and turned to find the speaker. Mewtwo was hovering behind me quietly, wearing a smug look on his face.

"What are you talking about? And you're not on my good side right now, you know," I replied, crossing my arms over my chest in defiance.

"I was waiting for you to make it go away," he said simply.

I felt my eyebrows furrow together in confusion.

"You were what?"

"I wanted to see you dispel the storm yourself. But it seems as though you needed another Pokémon to do it for you, as I expected."

He turned and began to float down the road again.

"I . . . you know I could have done it!" I argued, catching up to him and blocking his path, "But I already told you, my powers don't always work! Arceus says I'm too young to use them."

"But you did not even attempt . . . to . . ."

I noticed Mewtwo's eyes flicker from my face to my chest as he was finishing that sentence. I followed his gaze and noticed that my Opal had begun to glow faintly.

"Oh, _now_ you want to do something to help?" I muttered to it indignantly.

I sighed when I saw it grew even brighter, almost as if to spite me. I sighed, then thought for a moment before coming up with an idea.

I raised my arm and slowly drew it across the sky. Seven distinct colors followed the motion of my hand, and soon there was a massive rainbow over Kindle Road. Mewtwo's eyes widened in amazement as he flew up to get a closer look. I laughed to myself as I watched him zoom around the mirage. He even flew through it a couple of times, I had to cover my mouth to keep my laughter quiet.

He landed next to me again, still examining what I had created.

"See? I have control sometimes," I said, looking up at him.

He thought for a moment before replying.

"Well, rainbows _are_ common occurrences after storms," he said in response.

"What?! You saw me do it!" I protested.

"Coincidence," he said, waving his hand and starting down the path again.

"I did that, and you know it!" I called out after him, following from behind.

"Yeah, yeah, so you can make rainbows. How is that going to protect you?"

I stopped walking.

"Protect . . . me?" I asked.

He stopped hovering a few paces ahead and looked over his shoulder.

"With the power that you demonstrated when we met, you could have easily taken me by yourself in that cave, even without the help of your Pokémon."

I stammered for a moment before saying, "Y-you know I—"

"I know. But you could have."

He turned around and began to hover again.

"It is nice, being able to control whatever you want at the twist of your wrist. I can help you unlock that power if you let me."

I finally caught up and walked beside him.

"How?"

"First, you will need to trust me enough to tell me about Arceus."

"I'll . . . need a lot more time for that," I said, looking at the ground again.

"Fair enough. I did try to kill you, after all."

"Wait . . . if you're asking me to trust you . . ."

I looked back up at him, my face smug.

"What?" he asked, clearly unnerved by the look I was giving him.

"Does this mean . . . _you _trust me?"

"Of course not," he said quickly, rolling his eyes and looking away from my gaze.

"Then why do you want to help me? What do you get out of this?"

"My curiosity knows no bounds, as you already know. I simply want to see what you can do."

He looked at me again, his eyes glimmering the slightest bit with excitement, "I want to see that power once again."

"You want me to fight you?!" I gasped.

"Do not think of it as fighting. Think of it more as . . . sparring."

He gazed ahead at the path once more.

"It has been a while since I had such an encounter."


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

As time went by, Mewtwo gradually became more relaxed around my Pokémon and me. This early period was interesting, because each day he would do something else that I would never, in a million years, expect him to do.

Just to give an example, there was one day when I walked downstairs to make breakfast. I almost jumped out of my skin when I turned the corner and saw that he was already in the kitchen, casually drinking water.

On most days, it would only surprise me a little that he was out of bed before I was; but when I saw him that morning, I could not help but react that way and continue to stare at him. He was just drinking water, but the way he was doing it was so odd that it caught me off guard at the time. He was standing by the sink and using his psychic abilities to move the water directly from the faucet and into his mouth.

When he noticed that I was staring, he quickly turned off the tap and accidentally let the water drop to the floor.

"I . . . guess the whole drinking from a spring thing got old for you?" I asked, intrigued.

"Well . . . I . . . this is much more efficient than using a glass and sending it to Hoenn, obviously," he said, avoiding eye contact.

I had just laughed as he lifted the water off the floor and put it back in the sink.  
During the time that Mewtwo was resting in bed, I took several precautions to ensure that no other trainers, aside from Ash, would know that I was protecting him. This became difficult to maintain when we would go out of the house occasionally; to my surprise, Mewtwo would often want to come along. He managed to do this by staying invisible for the entire duration of the outing.

"You know," I remarked once as he followed Ampharos and I around Vermillion City one day, "you didn't have to come with us today. Didn't you say that staying invisible gets tiring for you after a while?"

_Think of this as a type of training for me, _he had said, dodging another person who walked a little too close to me.

_The more I do this, the more accustomed I become to staying invisible for extended periods of time. _

At that point, I had shrugged and said, "Suit yourself."

He had started eating dinner with me and my other Pokémon a few weeks after he arrived. Slowly but surely, his mannerisms toward me became a lot less agitated. Ash would hang out with us every few days to check up on Mewtwo. Though they kept their distance, I could tell that even my Pokémon were beginning to like and respect him as well. Sometimes when we took a break from training, I would catch Mewtwo sparring with Gyarados or Ninetails.

About a month and a half later, I asked Mewtwo if he wanted to come with me to the Safari Zone.

"The Safari Zone?"

He put a hand to his chin for a moment as he thought, then said, "That sounds like a place where children go to play while their parents work."

"No," I sighed, "it's a place where you can go catch all kinds of rare Pokémon that you can't find just by walking around Kanto."

"Keeping Pokémon in a place against their will? Now it sounds like a zoo," he said, crossing his arms over his chest.

"No, it's not really a zoo either. It's . . . more like a park. The Pokémon have plenty of space to roam around and live."

"Will you take your entire team with us to battle them? How strong are the Pokémon that live there?"

"Actually, that's the fun part!" I said, beginning to become excited, "You don't battle them with Pokémon, you just . . . catch them!"

Mewtwo looked at me curiously before asking, "Capturing Pokémon without fighting them? How is it done?"

"Well," I said, "The staff teaches us a few methods before each person goes in for the first time. For example, if you throw a rock at—"

"Throw a rock?!" Mewtwo repeated in disbelief.

"Not so it hurts them!" I added quickly.

Once Mewtwo calmed down, he asked me to continue.

"So," I began again, "if you throw a rock at them, the Pokémon you're facing will get angry; they become less likely to flee, but more difficult to catch. But if you throw food instead, they are less likely to stick around, but easier to catch," I recited.

"That does sound intriguing, actually."

"Since I don't need Pokémon to battle for this, do you want to just come along to watch?"

"Certainly," Mewtwo said, getting off the couch and standing on his feet.

Most of his wounds were gone, and he was becoming stronger by the day. There was only the long scar that went down his right side that remained.

"Alright, let's make like a tree and leaf!" I said cheerfully, starting for the door.

I heard Mewtwo sigh loudly behind me as he followed.

We walked out the door, and that was when I realized that we would need to fly there. I was about to summon Togekiss when Mewtwo suddenly said, "We do not need Togekiss. Teleport there with me, instead."

I looked at him in surprise; he had never offered to do that before.

"Are you able to do that yet?" I asked.

He looked at me as though I had just insulted him before responding, "Of course I am. I regained that ability almost immediately after I rested."

"But, don't you need to know where you're going before you teleport somewhere? I thought that was how it worked," I said aloud, mostly to myself.

"There you go, underestimating me again," he said, placing a hand on my head.

Before I could even respond, I was looking at the Safari building. I turned to look at Mewtwo, but he was nowhere in sight.

_Are you going in? _I heard him ask, _I will follow behind you._

"I need to get you a bell or something," I sighed as I started for the front door.

_I am the world's most powerful Pokémon, not a pet_, he practically spat the word "pet" at me.

"I was kidding! Jeez, lighten up," I laughed.

_Hmph._

_Okay, so today, _I said as I slowly strolled toward the front desk, _I'm here to catch a Tauros._

_A Tauros?_ Mewtwo repeated.

_Yeah._ _They run away super quickly, so I haven't caught one yet._

_But, those are easy to capture. I was able to procure many of those Pokémon for Team Rocket—_

_Well, not all of us can use psychic powers to catch Pokémon!_

"Excuse me, are you here to catch Pokémon?" a voice asked.

I looked up and realized that I was already standing at the check-in counter; the receptionist must have seen me make a face or something.

"Uh, y-yes," I stammered awkwardly, trying to change how I was talking, "one pass please!"

"Coming right up! That'll be 500P," she said cheerily.

I pulled out some bills from my back pocket and placed them on the counter. She handed me a pass and a small bag containing 30 Safari balls.

"Do you need me to go over the rules? I recognize you, so that's probably a no," the receptionist laughed.

"Nope, I've done this a few times," I smiled.

"Alright, then good luck! Happy catching!"

"Thank you!" I said, starting to feel excited again.

I ran ahead through the doors and into the Safari Zone. Once inside, I paused and looked around to make sure that Mewtwo had followed.

"I do not sense any humans nearby, so I will become visible now," he said aloud.

"Fine by me," I said, starting forward again.

Mewtwo appeared on my left side and followed me as I started into the park.

"Actually, I would like to examine this area more closely," he decided, heading off in a different direction.

"Wait, Mewtwo, we should stick together," I said in response, suddenly nervous.

"Why? There are only a few humans here, and I doubt any of them are working for Team Rocket."

"Well . . . alright, but stay close," I said, still not fully believing that this was a good idea.

"I will," he said as he drifted off through the trees.

"A-and tell me if you see a Tauros!" I called after him.

He did not respond, but I knew he must have heard me.

Trying to stop worrying about being separated, I fully immersed myself in the search for Tauros. I knew that they liked to live in the deepest part of the Safari Zone, so I began to head in that direction.

After about half an hour of quietly trekking through the park, I recognized the old cabin and realized that I had reached its center.

"Let's see," I said to myself, looking around, "if I were a Tauros, where would I be hiding?"

I suddenly remembered that Mewtwo had come with me and that I had not heard from him since we initially went our separate ways.

"Hey, Mewtwo?" I called, the nerves coming back.

There was no response.

"You were supposed to stay close by!" I sighed to myself, looking around for any sign of him.

I decided that I was too worried to focus on finding Tauros, so I turned around and started back the way I came. I had only taken three steps before I stopped dead in my tracks: there was a Tauros blocking the path back toward the entrance of the Safari Zone. I gasped and tried to not make any sudden movements, but I could hardly contain my excitement.

"A real Tauros," I whispered, reaching into the bag to pull out some bait.

The Tauros looked angry; its tails were whipping about as it pawed at the ground with its front hoof.

"Easy there," I said, slowly walking toward him with the bait in hand.

His eyes shifted from me to the bait and back again, and one of his tails had relaxed behind him; the other two were still going full force.

"I'm not going to hurt you."

I tossed the bait close to the Pokémon and quickly backing away several feet. Tauros flinched back, then took a few steps forward towards the bait. He nibbled on it, then ate the whole piece of food.

"That's right," I said calmly, pulling out a Safari Ball.

Just as he was about to return his attention to me, I activated and tossed the Safari Ball toward him. The Tauros was captured and the Safari Ball fell to the ground.

I knew it was too early to celebrate, so I waited to see if it really was a capture.

The ball shook once, twice, then—

"Did you find a Tauros? I have already seen several thus far, there should definitely be one around here," Mewtwo's voice sounded.

The Pokéball burst open and Tauros was back with us. When he saw Mewtwo, he grunted and took off running toward the trees.

"Ugh! I was so close," I sighed, putting my hands over my face in frustration.

"It went over there, right?" Mewtwo asked, indicating the direction the Tauros had just fled in, "Why not follow this one?"

"You don't want to annoy the same Tauros too much," I said dejectedly, starting on a new path to try again, "they might get angry and charge, it can be dangerous."

"Well, I think that is a risk worth taking. You will not find the other ones as easily," he insisted.

I turned to look at him, and though his face was as deadpan as usual I could see a hint of excitement in his eyes.

"Fine, we'll follow the Tauros," I said, turning back around and jogging in the general direction that he went in.

"Is that your fastest pace? You will never catch up to it," Mewtwo scoffed.

I turned around to ask what he meant, but he had already zoomed ahead of me and into the dense wood.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

"Hey, we have to stick together!" I cried, picking up the pace.

I ran as fast as I could through the woods, trying to keep Mewtwo's tail in my sight.

"You're going too fast, wait up!" I gasped, quickly losing steam.

_This is not even my fastest. Keep up with me, girl!_ he said back, showing no sign of slowing down.

I groaned and kept running, but I failed to notice the gnarled root sticking out of the ground. Without warning, I tripped and skidded across the dirt before coming to a stop. I laid there for a moment, my arms and knees smarting from the scratches.

"That jerk," I grunted, pushing myself off the ground.

I dusted myself off and started after him again, this time moving at a leisurely pace as I scanned the ground for more roots.

_Lilly, hurry, I have him cornered, _Mewtwo's voice sounded in my head.

"Ugh!" I exclaimed, breaking into a jog again.

When I reached the clearing, I saw Mewtwo floating a few feet off the ground and Tauros backed into a corner. But something was weird; the Tauros was angrily flailing about like a Magikarp.

"Mewtwo, what happened?" I said uncertainly.

"What do you mean? This is the Tauros that you were trying to capture a few minutes ago," he said.

"I know, but what's wrong with it?"

"I was keeping it in this spot until you arrived," Mewtwo said, waving his hand, "you are most welcome, by the way."

"Mewtwo, I . . . I didn't ask you to do that!" I exclaimed, shocked.

"Well I know, but I thought it would be more—"

"I told you we can't attack Pokémon in the Safari Zone!" I added, looking at him angrily.

"I was not _attacking_ him. I was merely holding him down. Do you want to capture it or not?" he asked, his own voice becoming irritated.

"No, I don't want to catch it like this! That ruins the whole point of the Safari Zone!"

"Fine, I will release him then," he sighed.

Before I could tell him not to, Mewtwo lifted his psychic power on the Tauros. Realizing that he was free, he quickly stood up and faced us, bleating angrily.

"Somebody does not look happy," Mewtwo remarked.

I stood rooted to the spot, quickly realizing the danger we were in.

"Mewtwo, don't move," I whispered, keeping my eyes locked on Tauros.

"Relax," he insisted, "I can teleport us to safety."

Tauros let out a loud cry and began charging toward us.

"Wh-what are you waiting for?" I shouted.

A moment later, I realized that its intended target was actually Mewtwo, who showed no sign of doing anything to protect himself.

"I cannot," he admitted at last, "my abilities are not working at this time."

"What?! But you were just . . . ugh!"

Without hesitation, I dropped my duffel bag and rushed toward him, facing the Tauros and spreading my arms wide.

"Tauros, stop!" I cried.

A second before I was about to be gored by his horn, everything turned a shade of purple. Then there was a loud bang and the Tauros was knocked flying back several feet away from us.

"What the . . ."

I did not have time to turn to Mewtwo and ask what was going on before the Tauros charged toward us again, but he was knocked flying backward once more.

"Have you lost your mind?" I heard Mewtwo ask behind me, his voice angry, "You just threw yourself in front of an angry Tauros like that, with no protection whatsoever? What on _Earth_ made you think that would work?"

I turned to look at him, unable to disguise the annoyance on my face when I asked, "Does this mean could have teleported us this whole time? Why didn't you?"

I jumped when I heard the Tauros ricochet off of the force field again.

"I was giving you a chance to protect us with your own powers."

"For the love of . . . what will it take for you to realize that I don't have control over those yet?!" I shouted at him.

"Are you going to continue to chastise me, or are you going to capture this Tauros?"

"While he's charging at us? Are you crazy? Just get us out of here, this is too dangerous!"

"Well now he is angry enough, correct? Did you not say that Pokémon are easier to capture when angered?"

I sighed, took a deep breath, then said, "Okay. After this next time, take down the force field and I'll throw a Safari Ball."

"Right."

The Tauros was eyeing us from several feet away, trying to figure out how to penetrate the shield. Once I had a Safari Ball in my hand, I held it up and cried out, "Now, Mewtwo!"

Mewtwo lifted the shield and Tauros charged us again.

"Safari Ball, go!"

I threw it at him, and he was drawn inside.

"Get ready, in case he pops out," I said.

We waited, watching in anticipation as the Safari Ball shook violently. After a few seconds, it laid still and clicked shut.

"It . . . it worked!" I exclaimed, shocked.

I ran over to the Safari Ball and picked it up in my hand. Smiling to myself, I stowed it in my bag.

"And you," I said, looking at Mewtwo as I started to walk back toward the entrance, "don't lie to me again about your powers not working. I would prefer to not be turned into a human kabob."

"I did not put you in front of me; that was entirely your own doing," he said, floating beside me.

"I'm just saying, if you really want to help me understand my powers or whatever, can you at least do it in places where neither of us are about to die?"

"I would not have died, but, you on the other hand—"

"Mewtwo, I don't know what kind of hits you can—"

As I was talking to him, he suddenly vanished. I stopped walking and looked around, trying to see where he went.

"Mewtwo?" I asked, looking around.

_Somebody is watching us,_ I heard him say.

I gasped and froze, kicking myself for having just said his name like that.

_What should I do? _I thought, terrified.

_Keep walking, pretend you are alone._

_Okay._

I started walking forward again, barely making a sound.

_Act normal! Are you even breathing?_

_It's kind of hard to do that now that I know I'm being watched!_ I retorted.

"Hey, miss!"

I stiffened and turned around to look at who had addressed me. The speaker was a woman with straight blonde hair and brown eyes. Pink triangle earrings dangled from her ears, and she wore what looked like an expensive camera around her neck. In her right hand was a Pokénav that looked oddly familiar.

"I found this back in the park. Does it belong to you?"

Confused, I checked the contents of my duffel bag and almost threw up when I saw that it was missing.

"You look like you just saw a ghost, no wonder why you dropped it!" she laughed, handing the device back to me.

I quickly took it and stowed it back in my bag, trying to regain control over my face.

"Sorry ma'am," I laughed, "I just had a run-in with a tough Pokémon. I caught it, but it took me by surprise so I'm still jumpy."

Her eyes widened slightly, "A tough Pokémon? Here? Oh, will you show me?"

She held up her camera with a big smile on her face, "I want to take a photo for my nephew! He loves Pokémon, after all!"

"Ah, you mean m-my Tauros? Sure!"

I took out his Safari Ball and released Tauros in front of me. He blinked in confusion, then grunted and started munching on the grass near his feet.

"Oh, my! A real Tauros!" she exclaimed in excitement.

The woman took some photos, seemingly barely able to contain her excitement the whole time.

"Well, I should really get going," I said after she snapped the tenth photo.

"Oh right, so sorry," she said, straightening up again.

Before I could turn to leave, she held out something else in her hand.

"You look like someone who has a lot of cool Pokémon!" she said excitedly, "If you have any more that you want me to photograph, I'm just a text away."

I looked at the paper between her fingers and saw that it was a business card. I took it and saw that it read:

Cassidy Yamato

Professional Pokémon Photographer

On the Hunt to Photograph Rare Pokémon!

010-XXX-XXXX

I looked from the business card and back to her before stowing it in my back pocket.

"Right, I'll remember that. Thank you!"

She waved goodbye and I withdrew Tauros before walking out of the Safari Zone as quickly as my legs would allow.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

When I knew I was out of her sight, I ran the rest of the way through the Safari Zone and out the exit where the receptionist was waiting.

"Oh, hi! Catch anything?" she asked cheerily.

"Yeah, thank you!" I said breathlessly, practically throwing the remaining Safari Balls on the counter and jogging toward the front door.

I burst out into the afternoon sun and leaned on the nearest potted plant, gasping for breath.

"Wait . . . are you here?" I asked aloud.

_Yes, right in front of you._

"Oh good," I said, still trying to get air back inside my lungs.

_We are not out of the woods yet . . . well, metaphorically speaking, _Mewtwo said cautiously, _she could have done something to your Pokénav._

"What?! How would she—"

_She claimed to have found it, right? And you believed her?_

"Well, maybe she . . . I mean . . . I guess I could have dropped it . . ."

I sighed, quickly realizing he was right; she must have somehow gotten it while we were dealing with the Tauros.

_We cannot go to your house with that device until I inspect it. _

"Inspect it? With what?" I asked.

_Come over behind this Lapras, _Mewtwo said.

"Where's the . . . oh, okay."

I ran over to the small lake where the Lapras that belonged to the Safari Zone's small rehabilitation center was lazing about happily in the water.

_Take out your Pokénav and put it on the ground._

I did as he said, trying to look as nonchalant as possible. I pretended that it was my first time seeing a Lapras by squealing with excitement.

_Find anything? _I asked him while trying to get the Lapras' attention.

There was another moment before he responded with, _No, I cannot find any technology she might have added to track you. But I am absolutely certain that she saw me, so she must have done something . . ._

I was still looking at the Lapras as he talked, when suddenly the disgusting smell of melting plastic hit my nose.

"What the . . ."

I looked over to my Pokénav and saw that it was in flames.

"What are you doing?! Those are expensive!" I practically shouted at the empty air.

_This is a precaution, we cannot afford to take any chances, _Mewtwo said.

"You really couldn't have thought of a better way to make sure?" I groaned, cupping some water from the lake in my hands to dump on the fire.

_Well, obviously_ _I had to make it look like an accident._

"A Pokénav bursting into flames?! How does that look like an accident? This is so unnecessary," I muttered to myself.

"Miss, is there a problem over here?"

I looked up and saw that one of the staff working at the zoo had approached me, eyeing me and the burning Pokénav next to my feet.

"Oh, uhm . . . actually, yes!"

I started laughing and indicated the Pokénav when I said, "My Pokénav here just burst into flames! I got so scared that it made me shout."

"That's concerning, I'd better get a water type Pokémon over here," he said, hurrying off to find help.

I looked at the Lapras a mere five feet away from me, then shrugged my shoulders.

"Lapras, can you put this out?" I asked.

Lapras turned her head to look at me and blinked, then swam over and spat some water at the device. It shorted and stopped burning, reduced to a melted pile of plastic and metal.

_Do not pick that up, leave it where it is, _Mewtwo said before I could bend down to retrieve it.

"I have to take it with me, Professor Oak isn't just going to hand me a new one," I sighed.

_It is not worth the risk. I can teleport us home now that you scared off the only person who was watching._

I felt his hand on my shoulder before the scene around us disappeared.

We arrived in front of my house again, and Mewtwo finally reappeared. I shot him a dirty look.

"You just _had_ to burn up my Pokénav, didn't you?"

"While I could not detect any tracking device, it did not make sense. Why else would she have taken the Pokénav from you?"

"And then give me her business card . . ."

I took the card out of my pocket and examined it, trying to figure out what it all meant.

"Let me see that," Mewtwo said.

I showed him the card, which he looked at for all of one second before sighing and putting a hand to his face.

"What is it?" I asked, concerned.

"That was no photographer," he muttered finally.

"Wait . . . you mean—"

"Yamato is an elite member of Team Rocket. I had never seen her in person prior to today, but I recognize the name."

I gasped and dropped the card to the ground.

"I . . . I had no idea we were being followed—"

"Not out here, come inside," Mewtwo said, grabbing my wrist and levitating the business card.

He opened the door and let me walk inside, then closed it behind us.

"This is my fault," I whispered, sitting down on the couch, "I wasn't . . . I should've been—"

"No, I should have remained invisible for the entirety of the outing," Mewtwo said, lazily raising his hand and laying down on the other couch, "you were not at fault for this."

"Do you think she knows where we are?" I asked, fear slowly making its way into my voice.

"Highly unlikely, since we teleported both to and from the Safari Zone today," Mewtwo rationalized, "and we did not take your Pokénav back to this location. Even if she could track it after your encounter with her, it is certainly of no use to her now."

I took a deep breath and tried to pull myself back together.

"She knows nothing of our location," Mewtwo said again, "we can remain here. For now, at least."

"If you really think so, then I won't worry. But, what do I do with this?"

I held the business card between my fingers.

"I can incinerate that as well, if you want me to," Mewtwo said, his eyes flashing.

"No, you pyro! I'll just throw it out myself."

I ran over to the kitchen and threw out the paper card. As soon as I closed the lid of the garbage can, there was a sharp knock on the door.

I practically jumped out of my skin in surprise, then heard Mewtwo call back "Ash is here," and relaxed.

"You can let him in, then," I said, washing my hands at the sink.

I heard the door open and Ash walk inside.

"Where's Lilly?" he asked, his voice strangely serious.

"I'll be right there! And take off your shoes!"

I ran back over from the kitchen and came to a stop by the front door where he was. I was startled by his mildly worried expression.

"Where have you been? I've been texting you for an hour, but none of the messages have been delivered!"

"Er . . . sorry about that," I said sheepishly, "We kind of had an accident."

"An accident?"

"A member of Team Rocket was following Lilly and I around the Safari Zone today," Mewtwo chimed in, getting up from the couch to explain, "I thought it was possible that she planted a tracking device on Lilly's Pokénav, so I did the sensible thing and melted it down."

Ash stared at us for a brief moment before letting out a sigh and saying, "I'm glad you guys are okay, but you knew being in a public park would be risky, right?"

"This wasn't supposed to be public, Ash. We were just going to the Safari Zone. I didn't think there would be a lot of people in there on a Tuesday afternoon, especially not a member of Team Rocket," I said defensively.

"This was your idea?" Ash asked, shocked.

"Yes, I wanted him to see the Safari Zone," I said confidently, "he hadn't seen it before."

"Lilly, I really thought you were more careful than this. Team Rocket already knows that he's in Kanto, of course they're going to have spies everywhere looking for him," Ash protested.

"Listen, Ash. I can't keep him in my house until this whole thing blows over. He should be outside, too!"

"Both of you, stop."

We both jumped and turned to look at Mewtwo at the same time, who was staring at us calmly.

"You are right, Lilly and I were not as careful as we could have been today. However, I also think that we made the best possible decisions given the situation. Now we know to be more wary the next time we go out in the daylight."

Ash scoffed, "The next time? There won't be a 'next time', right?"

There was a moment of silence before anybody said anything.

"For once, I agree with Lilly," Mewtwo said finally.

"Mewtwo, not you too," Ash groaned.

"While it would be ideal for me to stay in the house for the duration of this plan," he continued, "it is simply not realistic. I would be . . . what was the saying your mother used that time . . . oh!"

Mewtwo put one fist in his open palm when he said, "Bored to dears!"

_Bored to tears, but close enough,_ I thought to him.

I saw that Ash was about to retort, but he stopped himself and took a deep breath.

"I will be more careful next time," Mewtwo added, trying to reassure Ash.

"I know, it's just . . . if anything happens to Lilly—"

"Wait, me?" I asked, surprised, "Why are you worried about me?"

"If they go after Mewtwo, he can teleport out of there. You _can't_ run, and they'll be mad at you for hiding him. And I don't know what they'll do to you."

"Ash, it's not like they'd—"

"Lilly, listen," he interrupted, putting a hand on my shoulder, "it was one thing when you were a trainer just trying to stop them from getting the Masterball, but this . . . they won't hold back over this, and . . ."

Ash's voice started to crack a bit and his hand began to shake when he said, "I-It'll be my fault, you know?"

I pursed my lips together, finally understanding what he was saying.

"Ash," I said, putting my own hand on his shoulder, "don't worry. We'll be extra careful from now on."

"You promise?" he asked, looking at me.

"Yes, of course. I don't want to put either of us in danger!"

He smiled and wiped his left eye, then looked at me and asked, "Want me to come with you to get a new Pokénav?"

"Oh, yeah, I should probably do that today," I sighed, reluctantly starting back toward the front door.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

"Think fast!"

I whipped the jar of tomato berry sauce down the aisle, expecting it to levitate. What I did not expect was for it to smash to the floor and send sauce flying everywhere.

I stood there for a moment with my jaw hung open in horror.

"I cannot believe you just . . . let that happen," I whispered weakly.

_Did you want me to make the jar levitate? I thought we were trying to be more careful, _Mewtwo said, but I could tell that he was trying his hardest to hold in his laughter.

It had been about two weeks since the Safari Zone incident. For the first few days, I could not sleep through the night because I was afraid that Team Rocket was going to show up. But when nothing happened on even the third day, I decided that they must have lost our trail.

"You could have done it discreetly, you jerk!" I hissed, putting my face in my hands.

_Well, hopefully that was discreet enough._

I looked up again with tears in my eyes and almost gasped; the mess was nowhere in sight. Though the jar was cracked all over, all of its contents were back inside as if it had never been hurled to the floor by some idiot.

An employee suddenly appeared at the end of the aisle, looking sweaty and overworked.

"Did something just fall? I thought I heard a crash," she asked.

"Yes, but it didn't break," I said, pointing to the jar with my shoe.

She sighed and walked over to the jar, picked it up to inspect it, then said, "Well, that's lucky. Must have just fallen the right way."

"Sorry about that, ma'am," I said, trying to look apologetic.

"No worries! Please enjoy your day," she said, still examining the jar as she walked off.

I sighed with relief and went back to pulling tomato berry sauce jars off the shelf.

"I wish we didn't have to hide you all the time," I said finally as I headed toward the register up front.

_Why, so you can entertain the masses with my magic tricks? _Mewtwo asked sarcastically.

"What? No, just so I can stop being careful."

_Wait, so _you_ can stop being careful? You are not the one who has to be invisible all the time, _he griped, _I am doing all the work. All you have to do is act as if I do not exist._

"Well, I don't like doing that" I said, speaking quietly as I got in line to check out.

"And you don't have to come with me on all my errands, you know,"

_I am aware, but I have never been inside of a food store. Did you know that most of these things are not even considered sustainable for the human diet? Why would anybody make food that kills them?_

_Your guess is as good as mine, _I said to him as I placed the jars on the conveyer belt.

We left the store with the jars in a paper bag. The bag was a little heavy, but it was only about a ten-minute walk back to my house. On the way there, I messaged Ash on my Pokénav inviting him and his mother to dinner at my house.

**You guys should come over for dinner tonight.**

**I'll be making spaghetti!**

**Love, Lilly.**

_Why would you text him only after purchasing the necessary ingredients to make the meal? How can you be so certain they are available? _Mewtwo asked curiously.

"Oh, they'll come," I said confidently, "Ash's mom never says no to an invite, she loves me."

After arriving back in the house, I finally set the groceries on the counter and groaned as I stretched my arms back. Mewtwo reappeared and did the same.

"I know you're making fun of me," I said, eyeing him.

"Me? Make fun of you?" he asked, pretending to be offended as he straightened up again.

"Oh no," I said dramatically, "it looks like you're picking up on my humor!"

"It was only a matter of time. Someone needs to give you a taste of your own medicine," he chuckled.

I rolled my eyes and bent down to pull out a glass bowl from the cabinet.

"Hey, want to help me make it?" I asked, looking toward Mewtwo again.

"Make what?"

"The dinner!"

Mewtwo thought about it for a second, then said, "I have never cooked before, but I can try."

"Don't worry, I'll teach you everything you need to know!"

Eager to start, I quickly turned to get a pot out of the cabinet and slipped on the hardwood floor. I would have fallen flat on my face if Mewtwo hadn't levitated me again. He came by my side, shaking his head in disappointment.

"Can you at least make an effort to stay on your feet? This is the seventh time you have stumbled this week alone."

"Please don't keep track," I groaned as he carefully set me down again.

"Are you curious to know the grand total? It makes me wonder what you did before I came along," he said as we walked toward the kitchen.

"Well, sometimes my Pokémon would catch me," I laughed.

I placed all the other ingredients on the island and looked at him, my face suddenly serious.

"Alright, you did pretty well last time with boiling the water, so I'm promoting you from a novice chef to a rookie."

"What an honor," Mewtwo replied dryly.

"You're welcome. And all you have to do is heat up that jar of sauce."

I straightened up again and put a second bowl on the counter, continuing, "You can just put it in this bowl, and stick it in the microwave over there for a minute. Keep an eye on it, make sure it doesn't splatter everywhere. Can you handle it?"

"Take the jar, put it in the bowl, put it in the microwave. This is absolutely beneath my level," he said, rolling his eyes.

"Just do it, it's part of your master chef training!" I insisted.

While he was taking care of that, I took a large steel pot from the cabinet, filled it with water, and turned on the burner so it could boil. Then I started on the dinner that my Pokémon would be eating.

Suddenly, there was a loud crackling sound coming from behind. I turned my head and gasped when I saw that Mewtwo had put the entire jar, metal lid and all, in the bowl and put it in the microwave.

And to make matters worse, he was nowhere in sight.

I ran over to the microwave and saw electric sparks flaring up inside. The bright flashes rooted me to the spot in fear, not sure what to do. Then the entire thing burst into flame. I screamed just as Mewtwo reappeared and the microwave vanished.

I let out a huge sigh and leaned on the counter for support. There was a moment where nobody said anything; I finally broke the silence by asking, "What did you do?"

"It would appear as though metal is not to be placed in the microwave device. That was certainly going to burn down your kitchen, so I got rid of it," Mewtwo said nonchalantly.

"I can see that much, but where's the microwave?" I said, acknowledging the empty space where the microwave used to be by pointing at it.

"Ah, I sent it to Jupiter."

"You sent my Aunt's microwave to _Jupiter_?" I asked, my eyes bugging out of my head.

"Yes. It will not be able to hurt you there."

"Mewtwo," I groaned, "she's gonna absolutely murder me."

". . . Did you want me to leave it here?" he asked irritably.

"I mean, no, but—"

Suddenly, the microwave slammed loudly onto the counter again, making me jump in surprise. It didn't look anything like a microwave at this point; it had been turned into a smoking pile of scrap metal.

"Mewtwo, you didn't—"

"I just saved you and your kitchen. And that is how you thank me?" he growled.

"Calm down!" I said, putting my hands up defensively, "I wasn't angry at you, I was just confused."

"Hmph," he said, folding his arms over his chest, his forehead still creased.

I had forgotten how personally Mewtwo took finger-pointing. As those sorts of thoughts began to fill my head Mewtwo turned away from my gaze but made no comment.

"Mewtwo, I—"

"I apologize," he said quietly, his back still turned to me, "for getting carried away just now."

"Don't worry about it," I said quickly, "I shouldn't have gotten mad at you for trying to protect us. Microwaves are more replaceable than the kitchen, or . . . me."

Slowly, he turned around again, looked at me strangely.

"But now I don't have sauce for the spaghetti!" I laughed nervously.

He stared at me for a moment longer, then shook his head.

"What is it?"

"Nothing," he murmured, avoiding eye contact.

Then he looked toward the stove and said, "I believe the water is at the correct temperature."

I followed his gaze and saw that he was right; the water was boiling rapidly in the huge pot. I walked toward the stove and gingerly poured the open two boxes of spaghetti into it. I heard Mewtwo levitate, the floorboards creaked when he lifted, and say, "I will get you another jar of sauce."

"No, it's al—"

I heard three jars of tomato berry sauce land lightly on the counter before I could even finish my sentence. By the time I turned to look back at him he had already retreated upstairs. I knew he went upstairs because I heard him smack his head on the door frame for the umpteenth time and start cursing it. I laughed to myself, then continued to make dinner for my Pokémon.

_By the way, Ash and his mother will be here soon_, Mewtwo's voice sounded.

I walked over to check my Pokénav, and sure enough a message came at 6:00:

**Sounds good, we'll be over in half an hour!**

_Thanks for the notice_, I thought back to him, putting it back on the counter once more. I looked at the clock and saw that it was 6:25.

_Yikes! _

"Mewtwo! Get back down here and help me, they'll be here any minute now!" I shouted upstairs.

"Shouting is not necessary, we were just communicating a second ago without it," he called back.

I rolled my eyes.

"Less talking, more helping!"


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

Ash, his mother, and Pikachu rang the doorbell at 6:32 pm on the dot.

"Fashionably late, I see." I smiled, opening the door for them.

"We try," Ash's mother smiled.

"Pika-pii!" Pikachu laughed.

"Hi, Lilly!"

He was carrying a basket. "What did you bring this time?" I asked as we walked into the kitchen.

"Biscuits for the spaghetti!" he said happily.

"Oh good, my favorite kind!" I exclaimed.

"PiiiiiKA!"

"_Mine too_!" Pikachu squealed.

The table was set and ready. I took the food that my Pokémon would be eating and brought it outside to them. When I offered them some of the spaghetti, they all shook their heads in disdain except for Arbok. I left some for her and went to rejoin my guests inside.

Everyone was waiting near the table, but Mewtwo had already sat down. His expression did not change, but an empty chair next to him pulled out by itself. Mildly surprised, I sat down next to him, Ash sat across from me, his Mom at the head, and Pikachu next to Ash. A few seconds after I had sat down, I realized that I forgot to bring out a serving spoon.

"I got it," Mewtwo said without missing a beat.

"Got what?" Ash asked.

All of the noodles lifted out of the bowl, separated into five individual spheres, and gently landed on each of our plates. Then moo-moo milk was poured in our glasses, too. I took a sip and said, "Thank you, Mewtwo!"

_You are welcome_

I giggled in response. Ash snorted quietly, and Mewtwo's eyes widened. Over the next few minutes, they seem to have gotten into a silent argument because Ash's face would tense up during unexpected moments. Mewtwo, however, was an expert at hiding what was going on in his own head. His face remained passive as he took a mouthful of spaghetti. Ash's mother and I watched in amused fascination before she sighed loudly and began talking to me.

"Lilly, dear, tell us what you and your Pokémon have been up to lately," she said before eating a mouthful of spaghetti.

"Well, we've been doing a lot of training on the Isles since they're hotspots for tough Pokémon. Before Mewtwo got here, we would go to the Elite Four almost every day because we can earn a lot of money from battling the trainers there. But bringing Mewtwo with us now would be a bit too risky, it would probably not end well," I said, remembering what I had done over the last few weeks.

"Risky for whom, exactly?" Mewtwo said suddenly.

His eyes flicked to me for a moment before locking back on Ash. It took me a moment to realize that he was still talking to me when he said, "Do not underestimate me. I may still be recovering, but I can take every single one of their Pokémon at once, by myself, with both hands tied behind my back."

"Well, that wasn't what I meant, but I'd actually like to see you try that," I said, shooting him a sideways glace.

"Ash has been trying to fill up his Pokédex, as usual. Haven't you Ash?"

Ash and Mewtwo were still very deep in whatever it was they were thinking about, because he didn't respond.

"Ashton!" his mother said firmly.

"Huh?"

He dropped his fork, startled. I snorted with laughter. He shot me an annoyed glance as he picked it back up and asked, "What were you asking me, Mom?"

"Tell Lilly how you've been filling up your Pokédex," she said, getting up and gesturing toward me.

"I have to use the washroom."

Mrs. Ketchum swiftly walked down the hall, her plate completely empty. It levitated suddenly and flew over to the sink.

"Well," Ash sat up straighter, "I've been keeping you updated for the most part, but lately I've been doing some traveling around here and gathering a lot of data on Pokémon. Plus beating a lot of trainers, but you knew all that already."

"Yeah, I've been doing a little of that, too. But I like battling more than . . ."

I didn't bother finishing my sentence; not even two seconds had passed and I could see that he was already back in his wordless debate with Mewtwo, who was sitting calmly eating his spaghetti as if nothing was happening.

"All right, what are you two morons arguing about?" I demanded, putting down my fork with slightly more force than necessary.

"Talking? I have not said a word," Mewtwo said innocently, his mouth full of spaghetti.

"Don't pretend like you don't know. Ash is making it really obvious," I said before imitating the multitude of expressions he had made.

Ash's face reddened slightly, then he said, "It's nothing important, sorry."

"I hate to break it to you, Ash, but you're probably the worst liar I know," I sighed.

"Lilly, we'll talk later," he said through his teeth.

Mewtwo rolled his eyes. I sighed and slumped into my chair. Pikachu looked at the both of us, then nibbled on a biscuit. It was fun to watch him eat all the edges first, then go for the middle.

"Well anyway, I have some news," Ash continued, clearly trying to change the subject.

"Oh? What kind of news?"

I noticed that he glanced at Mewtwo before looking back at me and saying, "I'm finally going to the Hoenn Region."

I practically knocked over my glass of milk when I sat up and said, "Huh? Hoenn?"

"Yeah, it turns out there are a lot more Pokémon then I expected, and some of the ones I can't find here are in the Hoenn Region. That's the place you came from, right?"

My eyes lit up with excitement as I responded, "Yes, that's my hometown! It's where I got my first Pokémon and everything. So you're gonna go there?"

"Yeah. People are saying it's a great destination if you like to swim," he smirked.

"They're definitely right about that," I laughed, "Hoenn's got the most water routes out of any nation. And there are some really nice beaches, too."

"So I was wondering . . . maybe you'd want to tag along with me? It would be great to meet some of the trainers you know," Ash looked at me hopefully.

I sat back on the chair again, not really knowing how to respond. I knew that I loved the Hoenn Region and that I would normally jump at any excuse to go back and visit. But the timing felt off, I didn't feel ready to leave Kanto yet.

"It would be easier to hide Mewtwo; the Rockets wouldn't think to look there for him," Ash added encouragingly.

He had a point. But something kept me from saying 'yes'.

"I . . . can't," I said hesitantly.

"Can't? Why not?"

"I can't leave Kanto yet. There's still more that needs to be done here."

Ash raised an eyebrow when he replied, "Lilly, what haven't you done? You beat the Pokémon League, Indigo Plateau, and you've seen nearly every kind of Pokémon there is to see here. Aren't you bored by now?"

"I . . . I just don't feel right about leaving here all of a sudden. Ash, you know I'd love more than anything to go back to Hoenn with you. I would love to introduce you to my homeland! But I feel like there's still more for my team and I to do here before moving on. You can understand that, can't you?" I asked anxiously.

"Yeah, I guess so."

"Maybe when I'm ready, I'll come and join you. I'm sure you'll still be there," I said eagerly.

"I guess that'd be good . . ."

"When are you going?"

"I leave in a week."

I gasped in surprise, "Really? That's so soon! Why didn't you tell me earlier?"

"What can I say? I go where the wind takes me," he said, doing his best to sound suave.

I thought for a moment, then tapped the table with my hand in excitement.

"Ash! Maybe Mewtwo could come with you! He'd be much safer with you there than here, wouldn't he?"

Mewtwo inhaled sharply and sat up straighter at those words, causing him to choke on whatever food was in his mouth.

"Are you alright?" I asked, turning to look at him.

"Absolutely . . . not," Mewtwo choked out.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Ash grin smugly.

I began to get up from my seat as I asked, "Do you need some water? You're not actually choking, right?"

"No, what I mean is," Mewtwo began, clearing his throat again, "it would be a horrible idea. Team Rocket would think that I fled Kanto if they had not found me in Cerulean Cave; they anticipate my actions better than I previously thought. Therefore, they would probably look in other nations, such as Hoenn."

"So . . . you're saying that you'd be safer . . . here? Where their headquarters is?" I asked, my eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

"Precisely," he said, relaxing his back against the chair once more.

I shrugged and took one last bite of my biscuit. As soon as I finished, every plate flew to the sink and began washing themselves with soap and water. Mewtwo was hardly paying attention to them as he sat there eating his fill of spaghetti. I had to do a double-take to make sure I was seeing his mouth covered in sauce.

"Mewtwo, how many plates of spaghetti have you had?" I laughed.

"This would be my third one," he said, taking another bite.

"I think this is the most I've ever seen you eat!"

He shrugged and finished off what was left on the plate, then sent it over to the sink with the others. I assumed that he knew there was spaghetti sauce all over his mouth, but from the way he was beginning to put leftover food back in the fridge I realized that perhaps he was unaware.

"Hold on a second," I said, grabbing a napkin and walking after him.

He turned around and I began wiping the sauce that stained his white skin. Startled, he blinked and started licking the sauce off his mouth with a small pink tongue. I had never seen his tongue before; it looked just like Pikachu's. It was so unexpected that I laughed. He chuckled, too.

"Pika!"

Ash abruptly stood up and said, "Lilly, can we talk for a bit?"

"Ash . . ." Mewtwo started, but he could hardly speak because I was still wiping his face.

"Please?" he interrupted.

"What's so important that we can't discuss it here?" I asked, turning back to Ash.

"I'll tell you when we get there," Ash said, grabbing my arm and heading toward the door.

"Ash, is this absolutely necessary right now?" Mewtwo asked, following us.

He stopped short and looked back at Mewtwo.

"Aw come on Mewtwo, of course it is!"

"No, it is not," he insisted, lowering his voice.

"I wish you two would tell me what you're talking about!" I said angrily and stopped walking.

The both of them stopped and looked at me. I must have been glaring, because Mewtwo took a step back and said, "I am going out for a bit. I will return in fifteen minutes exactly. Stay in the house and take no longer than that."

Ash looked very surprised, but I immediately reacted.

"Are you crazy? Do you want the Rockets to find you? You can't go out on your own in broad daylight."

"I have previously stated that they probably will not be in Kanto."

I gave him my strongest pout and said, "It's not like they all would just _leave _Kanto, I'm sure some of them are still here!"

He sighed and said, "If you would like I can check—"

"No," I said quickly.

"Alright," he replied, the slightest of smiles cracking on his face, "then I will return shortly."

And with that, he was out the door. I ambled over to the recliner and sat down with a big sigh. Ash sat on the couch. Pikachu ran over from his chair and jumped on the couch next to Ash. Just then, Ash's mom walked back down the hallway and sat next to her son. He began to look uncomfortable as he said, "Mom, could you go home?"

"Ashton Ketchum, don't be rude to your mother!" she said sternly, joining her son on the couch.

"But Mom—"

"Why can't I sit here with you and Lilly?"

"Because we need to talk about something and we only have . . ." he looked back at the kitchen at the digital clock on the stove, "thirteen minutes to do it!"

"Well I'm sure whatever it is you want to talk about, you can do it in front of me!" she protested, folding her hands in her lap as she said that.

"Mom, come on, this is important!" Ash whined.

His mom bit her lip, got up and said, "Be home by eight o'clock, Ash!", and walked out the door. Ash sighed and laid his head back on the couch.

"So," I said, sitting on the recliner, "what's so important that you made Mewtwo leave?"

"I don't know if you've noticed yet," Ash began, "but you're the person Mewtwo cares most about."

I disguised my surprised reaction by coughing violently.

"_This _was what you two were talking about at dinner? I've been telling you, Mewtwo and I are just civil to each other! He . . . he doesn't actually care that much about me, he made that very clear—"

"So then why hasn't he left yet?" Ash interrupted.

"I mean, he's not completely healed. Also, I really think that there are still Rockets out here looking for him," I said calmly.

"He definitely is completely healed; he just hasn't needed to use his full powers around you so you wouldn't notice."

"Well, even if he is completely healed, the fact that Team Rocket is still on high alert is good enough reason for me to let him stay until they settle down. But that doesn't mean he wants to stay here because he cares about me or whatever," I shot back.

"Then, why didn't he want to come with me to Hoenn?" he asked.

"Wait, what?"

"If he really wanted to leave, he would have jumped at the chance to come with me to Hoenn. I was going to ask him next, but you did it for me, and he didn't take the opportunity. Besides, you and I both know there's no Team Rocket in the Hoenn Region."

I thought about that for a minute.

"But, didn't he just say that the Rockets would—"

"Lilly, we all know he used that to cover up the real reason why he wanted to stay here." Ash laughed.

I frowned slightly and said, "I don't know what you mean, but he doesn't want to stay here because of me. We're not together all the time, you know. Sometimes he'll go out at night when I'm asleep. Or he'll stay here when my team and I are out training."

"Yeah, but most of the time he's with you, isn't he?"

"What's your point, Ash?" I looked away.

"Aw, why don't you just admit it!" he threw his hands up.

"Admit what? Just spit it out already," my eyebrows furrowing together in confusion.

"You love Mewtwo!"

My face turned as red as a cheri berry.

"I . . . I do not!"

"Yes, you do!" he retorted.

"I-I already told you, I'm sure he wouldn't mind leaving me any day, and I would be completely fine with it. He can leave right now, for all I care!"

"That has nothing to do with how you love him!"

"But I don't, though!"

"Oh yeah? Prove it!"

"You're acting like a giant baby!" I said stubbornly, still unable to look at him.

Just then, Mewtwo appeared in the living room. I flinched violently in surprise.

"That is enough out of you, Ash," he said, stepping further into the room.

Ash stood up but did not move toward the door.

"That was _not_ fifteen minutes!" he cried in protest.

"No, but I think you have said plenty to Lilly for today," he said more curtly, glancing once at the door and back to Ash.

Grumbling to himself, Ash made his way for the door with Pikachu at his heels, "It's time for me to leave, anyway. See ya later Lilly, thanks for dinner!"

"Yeah, see ya later," I said, relaxing on the chair once more.

And with that, Ash walked out the front door with Pikachu on his shoulder. Thought I was annoyed at him, I really didn't want him to leave me alone with Mewtwo, who came over and stood next to the coffee table. There was a moment of awkward silence before he asked, "So, what did you two discuss?"

I gave him a look.

"You mean, you really don't know?"

"I kept my word. I went away where I could not listen to the conversation," he said, looking out the window.

I knew he had to be lying. He made that clear when he said, "that's quite enough, Ash."

"I do not lie," he said, hearing my thought.

"It was nothing important, as usual," I shrugged.

"Try me," he insisted.

I sighed as I thought about how to put it into words.

"Well . . . it's just . . . Ash thinks that you really care about me—"

"And? What did you say in reply?" he interrupted.

Surprised with his enthusiasm and his apparent lack of knowledge, I replied, "I said that we . . . have an understanding, and that you made it very clear to me that would never be the case."

As I was talking, his face seemed more taken aback with each word.

"An . . . understanding, you said?"

"Well, yeah. Isn't that what this has been from the beginning? Protecting you from Team Rocket until you're healthy and they lose your trail?"

His gaze dropped to the floor. Then he looked at the ceiling and began scratching the back of his neck. He seemed to be deliberating something.

"We can't all read minds, Mewtwo," I said quietly.

Still looking away, he said, "Lilly, I think you have been overestimating my inability . . . or underestimating me, rather . . ."

"What do you mean?"

He sighed, getting up from the couch and beginning to pace before he continued, "Look, I . . . I said that I could not love, not that I cannot care at all. Before I met Ash, I was only interested in looking out for myself. I had absolutely no faith in humans after what Giovanni had put me through, but meeting Ash and people like him taught me that I am at least able to care. And Lilly, I . . . I know that I care about you," he said, looking at me finally.

"While you are happy, I feel . . . I do not know how to describe it to you in a way that makes sense . . . I feel . . . light. And when you are upset, I want to help you. You really have not noticed?"

I was speechless. I just looked back at him, not knowing how to respond to anything that he was telling me.

He continued by saying, "You should also understand that Ash was right."

"What was he right about?" I asked when he didn't follow that up with anything.

"He was right when he said . . . you are the person I care most about."

I blinked and dropped my gaze, trying not to show the tears in my eyes. He also looked away once more.

"Why does this information surprise you so much?" he sat down on the couch where Ash was just sitting, draping his tail over the arm.

"You . . . didn't you say that you couldn't feel attachment toward anything? I just . . . I mean . . . what changed?"

I was doing my best to maintain a passive attitude, but I couldn't disguise the tightness in my throat when I responded.

"You, being a human, have more emotional capabilities than I do. In fact, with your added abilities, I can almost certainly say that you are even more capable than the average human."

"You don't know that," I said, not liking where this was going.

"I understand you . . . care more for me than I can for you."

My face grew even hotter at those words.

"Mewtwo, it's not like—" I began to protest.

"Lilly, please do not lie to me, I really can hear your thoughts at all times. You do . . . love me."

Though he barely whispered the word I couldn't stop the gasp from escaping my mouth.

"You wish I could experience the same emotion, do you not?"

For some reason, I couldn't help but feel angry when he asked me that question.

"No, let me ask _you_ something," I said, still not looking him in the eye.

"Of course," he responded.

The springs of the couch squeaked as he sat back down. I looked at him, though I could hardly see him through the tears welling up in my eyes.

"W-why do you read my mind if you don't want to hear it? What do _you_ care?"

To my surprise, he flinched when I said "you". He opened his mouth to say something but closed it again.

"Answer me," I demanded, my voice cracking slightly.

There was a brief moment of stunned silence from Mewtwo before he looked me in the eyes again and said, "I do not underst—"

"Oh, now you don't understand when I ask you directly?" I cut him off, my voice hard.

When he did not retort, I continued, "You understand everything perfectly well when you read my thoughts without my consent, but not when I ask you questions out loud?" I said, my voice rising with every word that I spoke.

I did not wait for Mewtwo to respond, I knew that it would be pointless.

"I don't need you, or Ash, or anyone to repeat my thoughts for me! I can already hear them loud and clear in my own head every day!" I exclaimed, my voice finally breaking.

He still did not respond, but only looked at me with calm, violet eyes. After a moment, I finally felt a tear run down my face. I angrily brushed it off, looking away again. Looking at the ground, I quickly stood up from the recliner and muttered, "I'm going to my room" before hurrying as quickly as I could up the stairs.


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

Lilly dashed up the stairs without so much as a glance back at me. I watched her go, then waited for the sound of the door slamming shut behind her before I got to my feet and began to pace about the living room again.

I knew Lilly loved me. I also knew she wanted nothing more than for me to stay with her for as long as possible. And I was not lying when I said I cared about her; when she was happy, I was at peace. When she was troubled, I wanted to help make it right.

The reason that I was so direct with her was because I wanted to love her back. I wanted to experience the same emotions she was feeling for me at the time. But it was not something I could replicate within myself. I couldn't even embrace her like I saw most humans do. To know that there was something that I could not do truly infuriated me at the time.

_I'm the strongest Pokémon in the world_, I sat on the couch again and placed my arms across my body.

_I can fly. I can protect myself with psychic energy. I can create storms powerful enough to destroy this planet. I can go into outer space. I can read minds. And yet—_

A faint noise interrupted my racing thoughts. I straightened up and listened intently; it sounded as though someone was crying upstairs.

_Lilly?_

Wondering, I read her mind.

_Ash was right . . . I do rely too much on my Pokémon._

My heart seemed to sink as I continued to read her mind. After a moment, I refocused back into my own thoughts again, trying to figure out something that would remedy the situation.

Without a solid plan in mind I got to my feet, levitated, and drifted up the stairs; this time remembering to duck so I would not hit my head on the ceiling. I turned to go into Lilly's Aunt's room but did not expect the door to be closed, so I bumped my forehead anyway. I didn't say anything, but I heard Lilly gasp on the other side of the wall.

Rubbing my aching head, I asked, "May I come in?"

I heard her sniff once before replying with, "Mmhmm."

I opened the door slowly and peeked inside. The room was dark but I could make out Lilly's shape. She was lying on the furthest side of the bed, curled into a fetal position and facing the wall so that I could not see her face.

I flicked on the light switch and walked toward her, the bed creaking as I sat on the edge with my back to her.

"Though I have seen some of the difficulties you face, I . . . will not pretend to know what the experience of living with Arceus is like for you," I began, my voice soft, "But what I do understand is having these . . . expectations thrown at you without ever having asked for them in the first place."

She did not ask what I meant by that, though I suppose she already understood. I took the liberty of explaining anyway.

"As you know, I was created to be a slave of Team Rocket, and I was not given a choice about it until I took matters into my own hands. But you . . . cannot leave like I did. This is your burden to bear for . . . well, neither of us know how long, I suppose."

Though she still did not say anything, I was beginning to feel a different energy emanate from Lilly as I spoke.

"What I am trying to say is, you cannot expect to take that on all by yourself. The only other humans who could have shared this burden with you, your parents, are not here. It is acceptable to rely on your Pokémon. And while I cannot be the one to be there for you . . ."

I paused, not sure how to phrase the next thing I wanted to say.

"Well . . . I suppose . . . you caring about me in that way is a nice change of pace. Most humans fear me, let alone voluntarily take me in and protect me. I want to express my gratitude."

I waited patiently for her to reply, but she still did not say anything. I could tell that she did not know how to respond, so I did not hold it against her.

"Thank you . . . for saying that," she said quietly, to my surprise.

"Oh . . . uh . . . you do not need to thank me. I am just saying what needed to be said."

Lilly fell silent again. When I finally turned over my shoulder, I noticed the small picture frame on the nightstand near her side of the bed. Upon closer inspection I saw that it was a photograph of two people smiling; one of them was holding an infant that was clearly a younger Lilly.

Before she had time to protest, I levitated the frame and brought it to myself, studying the photo curiously. One of the people in the photo was a beautiful woman, the other a man with a grin stretched from ear to ear. The woman looked nothing like Lilly; she had brown hair and brown eyes. But the child had ebony hair, green eyes, and a big smile like the man.

"Is this your family?" I asked, not looking at her.

"Those are my parents," she mumbled in reply.

I said nothing for a moment, studying the woman further.

"It's the only photo I have of them, be careful," she warned.

The only similarity I could pick out between the infant and the mother was perhaps the facial structure; otherwise, they appeared to have nothing in common.

"Has anyone ever told you that you have the appearance of your father?' I asked, levitating the frame again and sending it back to her, "Almost like clones."

"Every single time I meet someone who knew him," she mumbled, taking the frame and placing it back on the nightstand.

I frowned slightly, realizing that my joke may have gone over her head.

"I didn't know them for very long," she continued, "but I still have a lot of memories of them. None of my other friends remember being babies, but I do. Must be part of this whole Arceus thing."

"At least you have memories, but . . . I suppose it is more painful to remember, after all," I admitted.

There was another pause. I stared at the striped wallpaper on the wall and started counting the lines, still not knowing what else to say to her. I felt the bed move slightly and sensed that Lilly had turned around; I felt her eyes looking at the chord supporting my skull.

"I know that you've never had a real family," she began, "and I guess I haven't either, but the one I made is fun to be part of. Not everybody gets along all the time, but we're there for each other no matter what."

"At least, that's how it is with my Pokémon and all my friends," she added quickly.

"I am familiar with that," I replied, turning to look over my shoulder. Lilly was indeed on her side. Though her face was still wet, she had regained control over herself.

"The time I spent with you has shown me what it being part of a team might be like. The bonds you and your Pokémon share are the strongest I've ever seen, and I am comparing you to Ashton too."

"Really?" Lilly asked.

"I do not tell lies," I said, pulling my legs up on the bed and looking down at her.

That got a smile out of her.

"I love Kanto, but . . ."

Her eyes clouded with longing, "I really do miss Hoenn sometimes. My family and friends are there, I wish I could see them."

She started pulling at a loose thread on the comforter before continuing, "You've already been to Hoenn, but . . . I'm kind of a local, so I could show you the cool parts of it. And you can show me the places that I haven't been to yet, so it's a win-win. Would that be okay?"

"Are you . . . asking me to go with you?"

She blushed slightly, but still responded with, "I know you said Team Rocket might be there looking for you, but I just meant once it's safe—"

"I have no recollection of saying that, actually," I said, purposely avoiding eye contact.

"Oh . . . but . . . when Ash—"

"If I am still with you when that time comes," I leaned back on my elbows so my head was next to Lilly, "then yes, I will accompany you to the Hoenn Region."

At those words, she looked up at me again, and the clouds outside seemed to part from the light coming off of her smile. I leaned against the headboard of the bed and looked out the window that was across the room. Lilly sat against it too, her eyes a little watery.

Before I could add anything else to that statement, Lilly did something I was not expecting; she moved closer to me and wound her thin arms around my waist, pressing herself to my side and resting her head on my shoulder.

I inhaled sharply and froze on the spot, sitting up straighter.

"Lilly, what . . . what are you doing?" I managed to whisper after a second.

"Giving you a hug," she replied, completely at ease.

"A . . . a hug?"

"Is that okay?"

"I . . . yes."

It took me a minute to begin breathing shallowly again. My arms, rigidly pressed to my sides, relaxed a little; in time I regained feeling in the rest of my limbs as well. I frequently looked from the top of Lilly's head to the window, my mind buzzing with confusion, unsure of how to respond to this sudden gesture of affection.

Though my brain was still short-circuiting, my body seemed to react on its own accord; I watched as I lifted my hand out of Lilly's embrace and placed it on the back of her dark hair, relaxing against the headboard again as I did so. I absentmindedly sat there, unsure of what exactly was happening at the present.

As time went by Lilly's grip began to slacken around me, and her breath become slow and deep. I gingerly took her arms in my hands and put them by her side, slid myself out from under her, then got off the bed and levitated toward the door, using telekinesis to shut the electrical lamp as I went. Before I shut the door, I stole another glance at Lilly, still feeling a bit numb.

"Good night," I whispered, closing the door carefully.


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

Normally at the end of the day, I first see Lilly safely home before heading out on my own to some remote location for the evening. In the mornings I return the moment I sense Lilly waking up so she does not notice my absence. But one day, I decided to go to bed without leaving the house at all during the evening. Not much longer after Lilly headed upstairs to go to bed, I drifted to my room, stretched my limbs and, after opening the windows, settled on the bed. I laid there, listening to the wind whistle through the trees, enjoying the serenity.

_Perhaps,_ I thought to myself, _I will try to sleep tonight._

Though my injuries were, after two months, mostly healed by this point, I knew that my performance in battle could still be improved. I was anticipating the day when I would get to test my strength against the most powerful Pokémon in the universe, Arceus.

Just as my eyelids began to grow heavy, I heard a faint groan from the other room.

I opened my eyes again, intrigued by the sound. It grew in volume at first, but it died down again a few moments later.

I relaxed again, this time falling asleep.

Not even a moment had passed when I heard a shrill scream coming from Lilly's room. I gasped and bolted upright when the scream grew into bawling.

I immediately teleported to her room and prepared a Psystrike attack, fully expecting someone to be there attacking her. Luckily, I stopped just in time when I saw Togekiss standing on tiptoe at Lilly's bedside. He was crooning gently and grasping her face between his wings as Lilly pounded at him with her small fists, sobbing uncontrollably.

"What are you doing?!" I shouted loudly, dispelling the attack and rushing to the bedside next to Togekiss.

Togekiss squeaked in surprise and fell on his back, sprawled out on the floor like a dead bird Pokémon.

"I . . . I was just . . ." he gasped.

My vision turned blue as I levitated him and pinned his body to the wall.

"Why did you stop just now? Are you hurting her?!"

"What?! How dare you suggest that I would ever do such a thing! Let go of me this minute!" he cried out indignantly, struggling to free himself of my psychic power.

I released him and looked back at her. To my surprise, she was definitely still asleep. Although no one was touching her at that moment, Lilly began thrashing in bed as if she was being attacked, still crying.

"No!" she screamed repeatedly.

"What is wrong with her?!" I asked, bewildered by her behavior.

"Stop it! No!"

Togekiss levitated and landed on the edge of the bed, where he waddled toward Lilly's head and started rocking her gently.

"Wake up, Lilly," Togekiss said, his voice pained.

"Why is she screaming and thrashing like this?"

"She's having a nightmare!" Togekiss shouted back.

"Does this happen every night?"

"Very often, but they are usually over by the time you return home."

Togekiss started rocking her with both his wings as Lilly screamed louder.

"I don't know why she won't wake up," he cried out, on the verge of tears himself, "she always does after this long!"

"Move aside, you are being far too gentle," I said as I started to push him off of her, "I can do it faster."

"No wait, Mewtwo!" Togekiss tried to warn me.

I levitated Togekiss off the bed and sat down next to her, pinning both of her arms down to stop them from flailing.

I quickly regretted that action.

"Aah!"

I stumbled back again and looked at my hands, bright pink from a burn.

"She burned my flesh!" I growled, glaring at Lilly for a moment.

Togekiss flew to my side and examined my hands while Lilly continued to bawl at the top of her lungs.

"Oh, it's not bad!" he said dismissively.

"Why did she do that?" I asked as my hands already began to heal.

"She must be trying to protect herself!"

"From me? Even now?"

"No, from whatever is in her dream!"

We both turned to look at Lilly, who had stopped moving and curled into a ball as she cowered from her invisible assailant.

"Try it again, it looks as though she has calmed down somewhat," Togekiss urged me.

"But—"

"You can do it! She trusts you, but you have to be gentle!"

He flew behind me and pushed me toward her.

"She trusts me?" I asked, mildly surprised.

"Yes, I know she won't hurt you if you're gentle!"

"Are you quite sure about this?" I asked, looking at Lilly uncertainly.

"Yes!" Togekiss insisted impatiently.

"Fine!"

I slowly turned around again and muttered, "But if I die because of this, it is on your . . . wings."

Togekiss chirruped gratefully and quickly levitated out of the room.

I stood beside the bed, unsure of what to do first. Then I slowly reached out with my forefinger and touched the back of her head.

No pain yet.

I unfolded my other three fingers and gently caressed the top of her head.

"Wake up, Lilly," I murmured in the gentlest voice I could muster, sliding my fingers over the smooth surface.

Lilly shuddered and turned toward me, her eyes opening slowly. I quickly withdrew my hand for fear of being burnt again. When she realized I was there, she gasped and quickly sat up in bed, staring at me like she saw a ghost. She reached out to touch me, but retracted her hand again.

"Mewtwo?" she whispered.

"Yes?"

She reached out again, this time making contact with my shoulder.

"You're alright?" she asked, her hand lingering for a moment.

"Why would I not be?"

Lilly's hand balled up into a fist as she rested her arms on her knees. She sniffled and wiped her face with her arm.

"Are _you_ alright?" I asked.

"Uhm . . . yeah . . . I'm fine."

She sniffed again, then looked at me and asked, "W-why are you in here? Did something happen?"

"I heard you screaming from my room. I simply came to confirm that you were not being murdered in cold blood," I said in response.

Her eyes widened in surprise.

"You . . . heard me?"

"Yes."

"But how? I thought you go out at night."

"Oh, I was not aware that you know," I said, mildly surprised.

"Togekiss told me."

"Well, I stayed home tonight," I said, shrugging my shoulders.

"Home?"

"I stayed in the house, yes."

"Oh."

Lilly relaxed against the headboard of the bed as she continued to stare at me, almost as if it was the first time she had ever seen me. I suddenly felt the overwhelming need to think of something to say to take her mind off of what had just occurred, but for the life of me I could not think of anything to say except—

"So then . . . who was dying?" I blurted out suddenly.

She gasped and her eyes widened in shock at my question.

"Wh . . . what makes you think someone w-was dying?" she blubbered quietly.

_You already made her cry again, you absolute fool._

"I . . . I just assumed that was what you dreamt about. I cannot imagine why else you would have screamed so loud. And you also asked if I was alright," I added quickly.

"Oh . . . I asked that?"

"Yes."

Lilly blinked slowly as she looked away for a moment.

"I mean, if it is too painful to discuss—" I started.

"No, it's alright, I can tell you," she sniffed.

I almost flinched when her gaze returned to me; her green eyes seemed so hollow.

"I dreamt of . . . Team Rocket," she said finally, her voice barely above a whisper.

"You did?"

"Yeah. Five of them . . . barged into the house, attacked my Pokémon, and . . ."

She shuddered again, her face crumpling slightly, "and they . . . killed you."

My gut clenched tightly when she said that.

"The things they did . . . it was awful to watch."

"These terrors . . . do they happen to you every night?"

"Not every night, but, often enough."

She was on the verge of tears again; I could tell from the way she was sniffling.

"I d-don't know how to make them stop, I guess I'm really worried . . . I don't want them t- . . . to . . ."

She didn't finish her sentence, but instead looked down at her knees and began picking at a frayed string on the sheets with her one hand, the other hand grasped her knee tightly. I sat down on the bed beside her as I watched her tear up the thread.

Then, I took the hand on her knee in both of mine and lightly pressed it to my chest. She looked up at me, utterly surprised.

"Lilly, what is this?"

She didn't respond at first.

"That's . . . your chest?"

"One more guess."

There was another pause.

"Your heart?"

"Yes. I am here because of you."

I replaced her hand on knee again.

"Despite the impression I may have given you at first, you saved my life when you found me that day. You are aware of that?"

She didn't answer, only looked at my hand that was still resting on her knee.

I sighed.

"What I am saying is," I continued, "you do not need to worry about Team Rocket as long as I am here. My injuries have mostly healed by this point, I can fight them off very easily if it comes to that. They will not be able to touch neither you, me, nor your Pokémon as long as I am here. You understand that as well, yes?"

She nodded again.

"I . . . promise."

She looked at me, and I could see that tears were swimming in her eyes again.

"I promise that they will be safe. I will be safe. You have nothing to worry about. Alright?"

Holding back tears, she was only able to respond with a nod.

I reached around her and pulled her into my side, knowing that she was still going to cry despite having said those words to her.

"I — I'm . . ."

"Shh," I interrupted, rubbing her shoulder, "you do not have to apologize."

She was still trying to say something to me, but I could not understand what it was.

"I will stay until you are asleep," I said over her attempts.

She stopped talking and just nodded, pressing her head into my shoulder. I stared down at the floor in front of me while she wept.

After about an hour had passed, her even breathing told me that she was finally asleep. I scooped her up and put her back under the covers, looking at her tear-streaked face and bed head for a minute before sitting in the chair that was next to the door.

_Just in case it happens again, _I thought to myself, beginning to doze off.

A moment later, I heard the bed creak.

I opened my eyes and had to stifle a gasp; the little girl from my first night here was sitting across from me, looking at me curiously.

I levitated and clenched my fists, not liking how close she was to Lilly.

_Who are you? Why are you back again? _I asked.

She silently stood up on the bed; this time it did not creak when she moved, and there was no indent under her feet from her bodyweight. I felt my eyes widen in fear.

_Don't be afraid of me, _she spoke telepathically, _I'm a friend._

_I have very few friends, so I usually recognize them, _I replied, not trusting her words.

She just looked at me for a moment, almost as if she was waiting for me to say something else. When I continued to glare at her, she finally broke eye contact and looked at the ground.

_You will someday, I just hope it's for a good reason, _she said with a sigh.

She gave me one last look, then turned on her heel and vanished into thin air.

I stared at the spot for a moment before resting back on the ground again.

_Perhaps . . . I just had my first dream,_ I thought to myself as I settled back into the chair behind me, finally drifting off into a deep slumber.


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

The Sludgebomb attack narrowly missed my head.

But I suppose it was my own fault for coming too close to its intended target, a Dragonite who was still struggling to get up from the previous attack.

_That was close, better be more careful, _I thought to myself as I, still invisible to everybody on the field, teleported behind Lilly.

With a cry he collapsed back onto the ground, after which he was quickly withdrawn by his trainer.

On account of my incessant demanding, the day I first witnessed Lilly engage in a real Pokémon battle finally arrived. Prior to that she endeavored to keep as far from other human trainers as possible, opting instead to strengthen her team against wild Pokémon in remote locations across Kanto. Though this was certainly a safer choice, her team hardly made any progress since I was captured, and truthfully those "battles" became quite boring to watch.

At first, Lilly was vehemently against putting me in a risky situation such as a battle between herself and another powerful trainer. It was then that I turned and asked her entire team who, after standing in silence for a moment, reluctantly agreed that they were bored of battling wild Pokémon. Ordinarily she would have stood her ground, even against her team, but I knew that she also grew tired of the slow progress.

Though I initially felt bad about guilt-tripping her, watching them battle against the strongest trainers in Kanto helped convince me that it was the right thing to do; it was as if I was watching an entirely different trainer and Pokémon battle together.

"Nice job, Arbok!" Lilly called gleefully from the far side of the room as the Pokémon excitedly rushed toward her.

The opponent looked on for a moment before shaking his head and sighing in disappointment.

"Fair is fair," he said, avoiding the sludge puddles as he walked toward the center of the field to meet Lilly.

"It was a pleasure to battle against you and your team again," Lilly said as she came to a stop in front of him.

"Likewise."

She withdrew Arbok back into her Pokéball, and he held out the prize money that she was to be awarded.

"Though I must ask," he said after she took the money, "why does your team only have five Pokémon?"

Lilly's smile flickered for a moment when he asked her that. I was also curious at the time, but my question was quickly answered with the unpleasant memories that made their way to the forefront of her mind.

But she did not mention any of those when she answered his question. Instead she said, "He was a grass type Pokémon, and they often get sick. Their infections are usually not serious, but his . . . it was a rare case and he did not get better again."

Lance blinked in surprise before saying, "My condolences, I had no idea—"

"No it's okay, I get that question often," she laughed hollowly, "it happened about a year ago now."

"Perhaps you should consider training a Dragon-Type Pokémon," he said, "you just might be able to handle it."

"Oh, I have a Dragon-Type back home in Hoenn! But here, I don't need one. Gyarados alone is a handful, and she's not even a real Dragon-Type!"

"Well if you change your mind, I will be happy to offer my advice," the man said, opening the door to the next hallway for Lilly.

"Thank you, Lance. You'll definitely be the first person I go to when the time comes!"

_He won't, _Lilly thought to me.

I followed Lilly closely out through the doorway, relaxing my invisibility for a moment when it closed behind us.

"I had no idea that you had a—"

"It's not easy for me to talk about," she said quietly, finally letting her face fall, "and I definitely don't want to talk about it right now."

"It would have been good to mention earlier I think," I said, ignoring her request, "given that I am—"

"Mewtwo, I can't talk to you about this right as I'm about to go face the Champion," Lilly insisted, starting up the stairs that would take her to the last trainer.

"Champion?"

I stopped moving forward.

"I thought you said that you defeated all the trainers here. Would that not make you the current Champion?"

"Well, we got lazy last time," Lilly sighed, also stopping before turning around to look at me, "He beat us and took the title back. So today we need to be at the top of our game, which means I need to focus."

"Fine," I said, starting forward, "if you insist."

As we neared the top of the staircase, I activated my invisibility again and walked through the doors with her. The room we entered had the highest ceiling of the previous battle arenas, but it was narrower by comparison.

"Well, well," a youthful voice sounded from the middle of the room, "it's been a while, hasn't it?"

"What's up, Champ?"

I coughed on my inhale when I realized who it was.

This_ kid is the Champion?_

I could tell that Lilly was about to respond to his greeting, but she was startled by my cough. The champion was likewise confused because he looked around for a moment before asking, "Was that you just—"

Lilly suddenly put her face in her elbow and began to have a fake coughing fit.

"Sorry," she said, coughing again, "I think . . . it's the dust in this room."

"Dust?" he asked indignantly, "I'll have you know . . ."

_You know him?! _Lilly asked.

_He was brought in to test my strength when I was first created. Obviously, I won._

Blue was still talking through Lilly's coughing. She coughed one last time for good measure before making her way to the center of the room.

I examined the boy closer as Lilly walked. Though he had grown a bit since our last encounter, he still was certainly the youngest of all the Pokémon Masters in the Indigo Plateau. However, the confidence he presented would have rattled even a seasoned trainer. I looked back to Lilly, but she looked at this boy as if he was a familiar friend.

"What's been keeping you? You and Ash got too many dates planned or something?" Blue asked, looking at the Pokéball in his hand.

Lilly rolled her eyes. "Very funny. I've been taking some time to see some more of Kanto, it's quite beautiful here. Doesn't the Champion take vacations, too?"

"Well, why do you think I'm Champion and you're not?" Blue smirked, throwing the ball up in the air.

He went to catch it in his hand again, but it shifted slightly to the side and hit him in the head instead.

"What the hell . . . ?" he grumbled as he bent down to pick that up.

_Mewtwo!_

_He was asking for it, _I replied nonchalantly.

"Ready to take me on again?" Lilly asked, removing a Pokéball from her belt.

"I think the question is," Blue asked, readying his own Pokéball, "are you ready to lose again?"

"Not this time," Lilly said, releasing Gyarados onto the field.

Blue released a Pidgeot, one with the longest plume of head feathers I had ever seen.

"Gyarados, Ice Beam!"

"Pidgeot, dodge! Use Wing Attack!"

Pidgeot dove out of the way of Gyarados' attack and struck her with both of his wings. Gyarados growled and tried to strike again but missed.

Gyarados easily defeated Bruno and his slower Rock-Type Pokémon earlier, but she was no match for this Flying-Type Pokémon's speed as he struck her again and again; I could hardly follow its movements myself.

_Gyarados, _I called, _hit him with Surf!_

Without really thinking about who gave her the command, Gyarados amassed several hundred gallons of water and sent it hurdling toward the Pidgeot. Not expecting the wide-range attack, he was swept under the wave.

"Gyarados! I didn't tell you to use Surf!" Lilly called, clearly annoyed.

"_Sorry Trainer," _Gyarados called back, shaking her head in confusion.

I allowed the battle to continue on without pulling another stunt like that. That is, until Blue released Alakazam from his Pokéball. Mere seconds after alighting on the ground the Pokémon looked directly at me instead of the Arbok he was facing.

_No not me, the Arbok you fool!_

To this day I am still not sure if he did not hear me, or just did not take kindly to being called "fool", but a moment later I was dodging a Shadow Ball that was intended for me. Lilly gasped and brought her hand to her mouth, her eyes following the attack.

_Mewtwo! Are you alright?!_

_No harm done, he missed, _I replied.

"Alakazam! What's gotten into you?" Blue called angrily.

I will not say what Alakazam said in response, but I can assure you that it was not kind.

_I am not partaking in this battle, pretend I am not here, _I said in the least antagonistic voice I could muster.

_I want a rematch! Fight back! _Alakazam demanded.

Before he could send another Shadow Ball my way, I flew down and levitated behind Arbok.

_You will have to defeat the Arbok first, I fear._

_Coward!_

"Arbok, Crunch!" Lilly commanded.

Without hesitation, she swiftly slithered toward the distracted Alakazam, fangs bared. By the time he realized what was happening it was too late; thrice she struck at the spindly Psychic-Type Pokémon.

_Excellent maneuver, _I thought to Arbok.

Unfortunately, she did not stand a chance against Rhydon, but Gyarados made short work of him once she was called back into battle. Their last two Pokémon somehow ended up being Lilly's Ninetails and Blue's Arcanine. Judging by Arcanine's massive size I was sure that Ninetails would not be able to last very long against him.

"Ninetails, Confuse Ray!"

After a few turns of alternating between "Confuse Ray" and "Dig," Lilly eventually secured the victory. Ninetails bowed gracefully toward Blue before trotting back toward Lilly, nuzzling her side when she arrived.

"Damn, taking the title back already?" he sighed, withdrawing Arcanine and coming toward the center.

"You'll have your chance to steal it back soon enough," Lilly laughed, withdrawing Ninetails and walking to meet him.

They exchanged a few more words before he handed her the prize money, then Lilly said farewell and started toward the next room.

_Is there another trainer? _I asked, surprised.

_No, _she said, waving again to Blue, _this next room is where they record the victory._

The doors closed behind us. Lilly sighed and rubbed her face with her hands.

"What, no celebration?" I asked aloud.

She ignored me and carefully began removing Pokéballs from her bag and placing them on a strange device. It looked similar to the ones with which Pokémon are healed in the Pokémon Center. I became visible again and alighted on the ground next to her.

"It may have been a close battle, but nonetheless it was a victory, was it not?"

"Stay hidden," she said, not looking at me, "I don't know if it's safe yet. I'm just recording my Pokémon and then we're getting out of here."

"Oh, please," I said, indicating the empty room, "we are the only ones in here, and I have not detected any cameras."

The machine began playing a melody, after which Lilly picked up her Pokémon again and stowed them in her bag.

"I would appreciate it," she said, hoisting the bag onto her shoulder, "if you didn't tell my Pokémon what to do in a battle. _Especially_ if nobody is supposed to know that you're there."

I had to stop myself from sighing when I asked, "Is that what this is about?"

"Yes, I'm the trainer! I give the commands. And you could have given yourself away to Blue!"

"You were not getting anywhere with that Ice Beam attack, you know," I said stubbornly.

"I had everything under control. And what did you do to that Alakazam to make him attack you like that?"

I shrugged, "I presume he was still bitter about losing to me. But I could not have prevented that, though."

"I know, it's just . . . I was scared," Lilly admitted, looking at her feet.

"I know."

I put a hand on her shoulder, "Just relax and enjoy your victory. He does not suspect—"

"I knew it!"

I disappeared before Lilly could even turn her head back to the doors leading to this room. I did not have to look to know that Blue was standing in the entranceway with Alakazam glowering at me.

_Well, not until Alakazam tattled, _I muttered.


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20

"Why'd it run? Too scared to face us?"

"Why did what run?" I asked.

_Could you sound any less convincing?_ Mewtwo asked.

_This is your fault! _I shot back.

"Don't bother trying to hide it, Alakazam told me everything," Blue cut me off as he started toward me.

He was absolutely furious, but I stood my ground.

"I'm not sure Alakazam has the whole—"

"Just cut the crap and get it back here, Lilly. We have unfinished business."

"No, there's nothing to settle here!" I said firmly, "I'm sorry that he got involved in the battle, he was just supposed to be—"

"Don't get me wrong, that was definitely illegal. But I'm not pissed that you let it interfere," Blue said as he pointed to the empty air next to me, "I'm pissed that it's _here _in the first place!"

"He has a name," I said defensively, "and he just wanted to watch me battle, that's it."

"You know what I mean! Why is it with you? It's not your Pokémon, is it?"

"No!" I said a little too quickly, "He's not, I'm just . . . looking after him until Team Rocket gives up on finding him."

"Looking after? D'you mean you're . . . protecting it?"

"Yes, that's what I mean."

He stared at me in disbelief for a moment, then he slowly began walking toward me.

"Have you lost your mind?"

"Blue, just give me a moment to—"

"This isn't just some Masterball, this is their biggest success. They'll kill you and your Pokémon for this, Lilly."

My breath caught in my throat but I still said, "They wouldn't—"

"Is that what you want? You're going to throw your life and the lives of your Pokémon away again? For this . . . thing?" Blue's voice steadily rose with each word.

"His name is Mewtwo!" I shouted finally, tears coming to my eyes.

Before he could approach close enough, everything turned purple. Both Blue and I stumbled backward in surprise, allowing Mewtwo enough room to re-appear in front of us.

"Mewtwo—!"

The shield disappeared from around me, but Mewtwo did not move from his spot.

"Come closer, I dare you," he said in a voice that was anything but friendly.

Nobody moved for a moment, then I heard Blue take a step back.

"How dare you frighten her like this?" he continued, raising his voice, "Team Rocket has done many terrible things, but killing children is beneath even them. On what grounds do you make that assumption?"

"I . . . I—"

"If you do not have an answer, we will be on our way. You have more important things to do than lose another battle, do you not?"

The air suddenly became heavy; I could sense that Alakazam was not happy that Mewtwo had threatened Blue.

"Okay, that's enough! There isn't going to be another battle," I said, quickly pushing myself in front of Mewtwo.

Alakazam's eyes were shining white and his spoons were raised; he made no sign of backing down.

"Blue, call Alakazam back," I said, not taking my eyes off him, "we're not fighting like this."

"Why not? He wants a rematch, this is the perfect opportunity," Blue said, folding his arms over his chest.

"Need I remind you that I absolutely . . . what was the phrase Ashton used . . . ah, 'wiped the floor' with your Alakazam during our last encounter?"

"That was hardly a battle and you know it!" Blue cried out angrily, "Lilly that . . . _thing_ is Team Rocket's—"

"Choose your words carefully," Mewtwo said quietly.

I turned back to look at him and gasped in fear when I saw his eyes were blue; the situation was escalating too quickly for me to stop it.

"Mewtwo," I said, struggling to keep calm, "why don't you go home? I can handle this myself."

There was a moment of tense silence before his eyes returned to normal.

"I am not going anywhere," he said stubbornly, taking a few steps back, "but I will allow you to do things your way."

I breathed a sigh of relief before turning back to Blue

"You're right," I began, "Mewtwo was created to be a tool for Team Rocket. But he realized that fighting for them was not his purpose, and when he tried to fight for himself he thought the only answer was to wipe out humanity. Ash proved to him that humans and Pokémon are capable of living and working together as partners, not as slaves like he was to Team Rocket. He's not the same monster that you fought before, he . . . he's a real Pokémon. And that's something worth protecting."

Blue said nothing, but I could tell that he was at least considering my words.

"If it means anything," Mewtwo said behind me, "the battle you

fought today was admirable."

Blue's eyes went wide. I turned around, equally surprised that he had said those words.

Mewtwo walked to my side and continued, "I hope in the future, we can battle as we are meant to: without testing the extent of my powers."

Blue did not say anything, but suddenly Alakazam's eyes returned to normal and he lowered his spoons. Reassured by his Pokémon's reaction, Blue scratched the back of his own head and looked down at the ground.

"I don't see why not," he muttered after another moment.

After making sure Blue understood that nobody could know he was with me, he promised to destroy any evidence that Mewtwo was in the Pokémon League. We said goodbye, and Mewtwo became invisible as I walked out of the building and flew home on Togekiss.

When we returned home, I walked into the living room and dramatically fell onto the big couch. Mewtwo sat on the armchair across from me, almost as if he was waiting for something.

"What, did you think I was gonna make dinner?"

"No."

"Well, good, because I'm not cooking tonight," I decided aloud,

"We're ordering pizza for everybody."

"Will you tell me about your Meganimum now?"

"Oh . . . that's right."

I sat up and looked toward the door, recalling the painful memory all over again.

"There's really not much to tell. One of the higher-ranking members I battled with got excited about Meganimum's flower . . . apparently, they're worth a lot on the black market. He sent a grunt to steal him from me in the middle of the night. By the time we found him the next morning, it was too late. They cut off the petals and just . . . just left him there."

"And you were not able to save him even with . . ."

I started shaking my head before he even finished his sentence, "No. Arceus told me that was how . . . he was fated to . . . to . . ."

I felt myself beginning to get emotional, but I held back the tears.

"Fated to die? Are you suggesting that Arceus knows when everybody will die?" I heard him ask.

"He wouldn't say whether he knew or not," I mumbled, "but . . . I still haven't forgiven him for saying that. No Pokémon deserves to . . . especially n-not Meganimum . . ."

I grabbed a pillow from off the couch and buried my face in it, not wanting him to see me cry.

"It is not Arceus that you have to forgive."

I stifled a sob and raised my head; he was looking at me with a softer gaze than I was used to.

"But . . . if I—"

"No, stop, I was not referring to you, either" he interrupted, "Meganimum did not have to die that way. Team Rocket takes what does not belong to them, I have seen them do it countless times. And they will continue to do it until they are stopped."

I didn't say anything, but I knew that he was right; Arceus was not the reason Meganimum died in the first place.

"Someday, Team Rocket will pay for what they did to him," Mewtwo said, looking away, "along with all the other lives they took and the trainers they devastated. I will ensure that they do."

Once I pulled myself together again, I ordered pizza for my Pokémon to enjoy in celebration of our victory. Mewtwo disappeared before it arrived, so we ate without him under the starry sky.

That night instead of having a nightmare, I dreamt about Mewtwo and I winning against Blue together.


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21

One early morning I bolted upright to the sound of someone loudly banging on the front door.

I exhaled and looked at the Pokénav on my dresser, seeing that I had no messages and that the time was 5:00 AM.

"Who . . . 's too early for this."

Still half asleep, I rolled out of my bed and ran to my Aunt's room to look outside the massive window, trying to see who could possibly want to talk to me at this hour. I looked down toward the entrance, but there was nobody standing at the door.

"Ash, I'll kill you later if that's you," I mumbled sleepily to myself.

I turned around again to send him an angry message and crawl back into bed, but the knocking came again. I ran back to the window, but nobody was standing there.

Groaning in annoyance, I stumbled my way down the stairs as the knocking continued. When I walked through the living room, I was surprised to see that Ampharos was still asleep on the couch with Ninetails curled up next to her. They would have certainly responded to the knocking if they had heard it.

"Is this . . . another nightmare?"

I opened the front door, but just as I thought there was nobody standing there. There was, however, a piece of notebook paper on the ground a few feet away.

"What's this?"

I walked outside and looked down at the paper. It was folded in half, and almost illegible to me since it was written in a very neat cursive. But eventually I made out the words:

To Lilly Prescott

Bewildered, I looked around for any sign of someone who might have left it, but the neighborhood was so quiet that you could hear a Metapod breathe. Still half asleep, I bent down and picked up the note before unfolding it to read the message.

As if I could be any further disgruntled, the note ended up being a blank piece of paper.

"Are you—"

Suddenly, everything went black. I tensed up in fear and looked around again, but the entire neighborhood seemed to have disappeared.

_Oh no, this really is another nightmare._

When nothing else happened, I grew more panicked; this was unlike any nightmare I had previously.

"H-Hello?" I asked aloud.

Still nothing.

Then without warning, I felt a pair of hands on my shoulders. I screamed and rushed forward, dropping the paper as I did so; immediately the neighborhood came back into view. I stood rooted to the spot, too afraid to turn and see who it was that tried to grab me

"Attempt number one unsuccessful, new approach is needed," Mewtwo's voice sounded behind me.

Once I heard his voice, I turned around. He was hovering a few feet away, levitating the crumpled paper next to him.

"You were the prankster?" I asked, my heart still jumping against my ribs.

"Oh no, this was not a prank," he said, inspecting the paper from all angles, "but I would be lying if I said I did not think your reaction was humorous."

"What . . . how did you do all that?"

"I can make the mind see what I want it to," he said simply, turning his attention back to me.

"You can just blind me like that?!"

"I did not blind you, I just made you see nothing," Mewtwo corrected me.

"Okay, never mind," I said, shaking my head, then gestured at the air when I asked, "why did you do all . . . this?"

"I was conducting an experiment, and I hypothesized that you would burn up the paper in response to being frightened. But as you can see . . ."

He examined the paper that I was just holding once again before adding, "the paper is still completely white."

"Wh . . . Why did you think I would burn up the paper?" I asked, bewildered.

"That night when I first tried to wake you from a nightmare, your skin burned my hands."

I felt the blood drain from my face.

"And you didn't think to tell me earlier?!" I practically shouted.

"Togekiss knew, too," Mewtwo said nonchalantly before continuing, "Aside from when Arceus took over on the night you captured me, it was the first time you tried to protect yourself from something. I believe that you did it out of fear, so I was attempting to create a scenario where you were frightened in order to gain a better understanding of what you are capable of."

I stared at him incredulously for a moment, trying to make sense of what he was telling me, before giving up and asking, "Mewtwo, do you even know what time it is?"

He pretended to check a watch on his wrist, then said, "At this moment, it is 5:04 AM. Why?"

"You can't scare me like that this early," I groaned at his oblivious response, "I don't need you creating more nightmares for me, I already have the real ones to deal with! Why didn't you just use one of them to run your 'experiment'?"

"But that was the whole point. Your nightmares are predictable, so I set up a different environment because I am trying to understand—"

"I'm going back to sleep," I interrupted, walking past him, "we're not doing this right now."

"Why are you running away?" Mewtwo called after me.

I stopped walking.

"Because I'm tired."

"No, you avoid doing anything that might demonstrate your full powers. Why is that?"

"That's not true, I don't even really have—"

"You do have powers, even though you are continuously denying it," Mewtwo cut me off, "and you avoid using them at all costs because you fear Arceus."

"Wait, I'm not afraid of Arceus, I've lived with him all my life," I said as I turned around to look at him, "and what does that have to do with having powers?"

"You are, and you fear that the power you say you do not possess will change you and the life you currently lead as a human and a Pokémon trainer, so you never attempted to explore them before."

I said nothing; how could I when he was taking words from my own

head? All of the nightmares I was having were about losing someone close to me; when I wasn't asleep, I still found myself worrying about what would

happen if Team Rocket did find us here.

"It would be good to be able to utilize those powers on command. I need a worthy sparring opponent, and your Pokémon are not powerful enough candidates for me."

"So you . . . want to help me learn how to use my powers?"

"I would say I am the best teacher available. Do you have a better one in mind?" Mewtwo asked, "Arceus has never been helpful, has he?"

I broke eye contact for a moment, realizing that he had a point.

"But in order for me to accomplish this, you need to overcome that fear. It will prevent you from realizing your true power."

"Then," I said, looking back at him, "I need some rest if you're going to scare me some more later."

I turned back toward the front door.

"Let's start at 9, when I'm actually awake."


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter 22

When we went back outside merely a few hours later the sun was already beating down relentlessly; it was turning into one of the hottest days of the summer so far. Mewtwo and I were under the cover of some trees in a forest nearby, but even then the temperature was still sweltering.

"Again."

Wiping the sweat from my eyes, I inhaled deeply and took aim with my hand for what felt like the hundredth time.

"Focus," Mewtwo said, also for the hundredth time as he alighted next to me, "that tree is your enemy, you have to neutralize it as quickly as possible."

"I don't even—"

"Less talking, more neutralizing."

"Hey, that's my line," I said indignantly turning to look at him, "and I don't know what naturalizing means!"

"To 'neutralize' means to destroy. Your assignment was to burn this tree, remember?"

"Well, I don't even really want to burn this tree," I said, gesturing toward the sapling behind me, "can't we just use a different target?"

"Why does the target matter? It is an inanimate, somewhat flammable object, therefore a good target for you to practice on," Mewtwo said coolly.

"It's still a living thing, and it doesn't need to burn!"

"I do not think you understand the point of this training," he sighed, passing a hand over his face.

"You're trying to test my powers, right?"

"That is correct," he affirmed.

"This tree didn't hurt me, so I won't hurt it," I said stubbornly.

"What about when you have Pokémon battles? Those Pokémon did not do anything wrong, yet you force your Pokémon to attack them?" Mewtwo challenged me.

"That's . . . that's not what that is at all, it's totally different," I said, avoiding eye contact.

"Why? Because you are not the one doing the damage? Stop making weak excuses."

I could tell by his tone that he was just trying to rile me up, but that realization didn't stop me from wanting to call it quits then and there.

"Can we take a break?" I asked, bringing down my arm and rubbing my shoulder, "I've been standing like this for hours, my arm's gonna fall off."

"It has only been twenty minutes," Mewtwo said under his breath.

"It's been long enough, I don't think anything's gonna happen," I sighed, sitting in front of a thicker tree nearby.

"You need to stop doubting yourself. I am not surprised that nothing has worked yet, you are hardly trying."

I looked up towards his face.

"No, nothing's worked because I'm awake," I corrected him, "I've only ever done this when I'm asleep."

"Then you can do it when you are conscious as well," Mewtwo said, levitating me into the air, "you have exhibited other abilities besides burning when you are awake, right? You just need to try harder."

"But I have Pokémon for that," I said, brushing the leaves off my shorts and extending my feet toward the ground, "I don't need to learn how to do this stuff right now."

"When do you intend to learn, then? When it becomes too late? Besides, I want someone to spar with now," Mewtwo insisted, folding his arms over his chest.

"Fine," I said, rolling my eyes, "we'll keep trying for a little longer."

I wasn't expecting his eyes to light up the way they did then.

"But do we _have_ to use a target?" I asked.

"Yes, we are using a target," Mewtwo said as a summer breeze began to sweep through my hair.

I soon realized that the breeze was his doing as long grasses blew toward us and began to interlock together, eventually taking on a humanoid shape.

"You're making a grass man?"

"Not just any grass man," Mewtwo said, lifting his hand again.

Some shorter grasses floated over and took other shapes; a tie, a hat, a small "R" on the chest.

He was making Giovanni.

I stood there for a second, worried that he was going to say something about my lack of immediate reaction; he didn't keep me waiting long.

"Why are you not attacking? Did I not make it obvious enough that this is Giovanni?"

"I . . . yeah, I know it's him," I said sheepishly.

"This is the man who has, and will continue to, killed countless Pokémon, including your own," Mewtwo's voice was rising, "and you hesitate to attack?"

"Giovanni did _not_ kill Meganimum," I said hotly, turning to look at him, "a stupid, greedy Rocket Admin did."

"Hang on," Mewtwo said, growing more bewildered, "are you saying you look up to him?!"

"No, that's not what I meant," I said, shaking my head, "I'm just . . . I battled with him. He was the eighth gym leader in Kanto."

"Is this supposed to answer my question?"

"I don't like him as a person, and I don't agree with how he views Pokémon as things to be used, but I respect him as a trainer," I finished, looking back toward the straw figure again, "I wouldn't try to hurt even him."

Mewtwo stood there for a moment without saying anything, then he said in a low voice, "You really do not know what you are saying."

"I do know what I'm saying," I insisted.

"Do you actually believe Giovanni does not have a hand in every single thing that goes on in Team Rocket? Perhaps he did not order that Admin to kill your Meganimum, but if he was asked first, I bet my life that he would not hesitate to say yes."

"I don't believe that's true," I looked toward him again and said confidently, though his tone was beginning to unnerve me.

He blinked once, then everything went dark again.

"Hey, what are you doing now?" I cried, looking around frantically.

Mewtwo didn't answer. Instead, I saw a light begin to glow from behind me. I turned and felt my heart stop in my chest.

It was a vision of my Meganimum, looking terrified as he fought off four Weaville while a faceless Rocket Admin watched from several feet away.

"Don't damage the flower!" he barked without a mouth.

For a moment I couldn't breathe, but at last I began screaming for him to stop.

"No!" I cried, starting toward him, "Call them back!"

The vision obviously did not hear me, and my panic worsened as I watched the Weavile continue to freeze and slash at my beloved Pokémon.

"I said stop!" I screamed again, finally reaching him and grabbing onto his jacket, shaking with all my might.

When that did not work either, I turned toward the Weaville and my Meganimum, who was on his knees and struggling weakly by this point. Without thinking, I began to run toward the Weaville and grabbed fistfuls of fur to throw them off myself. To my surprise, the Weaville noticed me and began attacking me instead.

I definitely was not expecting to feel pain either; I screamed as their sharp claws dragged across my skin, but I felt Meganimum's cool hide on my back and was comforted.

"Get off him!" I cried, pushing the one in my grasp away, "don't do this!"

I started toward another one, no longer feeling my slashed arms from all the adrenaline in my body, but a third Weaville saw me and lunged from Meganimum's back. When he sank his claws into my throat, I could not draw breath anymore. He pulled them out and I dropped to the ground, blacking out instantly.

When I woke up again, I was lying on the warm grass under the trees with Mewtwo standing over me. I could feel tears on my face and my pulse still racing from the vision he just forced me to experience. I looked at my arms and touched my throat with my hands; miraculously they were in one piece.

"I do not understand," he said quietly, "all you had to do was attack the Admin and it would have been over. I even made one without a face to make it easier. What was stopping you?"

I laid there for a moment, staring at him in disbelief. Even as I slowly got to my feet, I still did not say anything to him.

"You," I finally whispered shakily, "are horrible."

Mewtwo blinked in surprise. Before he could ask what I meant by that, I began screaming at him.

"How could you do that to me? Why would you make me see and feel something so terrible?!"

He stared at me incredulously for a second, then his face relaxed again.

"You finally understand," Mewtwo said, levitating slightly, "I am horrible."

I stared for a second, not expecting him to respond that way.

"You will only attack truly horrible things, right? Attack me, then," Mewtwo insisted, backing away several feet.

"No, you're not listening to me!" I said, wiping my face, "I'm not going to hurt you, either."

"Why not? I just forced you to watch the death of your beloved Pokémon, putting you through excruciating emotional and physical pain. Teach me a lesson."

"That won't solve—"

Before I could finish my sentence, Mewtwo pushed me back with his power. I lost my balance and landed on my backside.

"Just apologize for what you did," I said, on the verge of tears again.

"You are in danger, now fight back," he commanded, pretending he did not hear my request.

"No, I'm not fighting you," I said firmly, standing up straight again.

He continued to ignore me and drew his arm back, forming an Aura Sphere in his hand.

"I said I won't fight you!" I screamed, crossing my arms over my face protectively.

There was a moment of silence before I heard Mewtwo sigh in frustration.

"Why do you refuse to work with me?" I heard him ask irritably, "I am trying to help you."

"Help me? You're just trying to pick a fight with Arceus," I retorted.

There was a pause, then he said, "No, I mean, yes, I am doing this because I want to battle with Arceus—"

"Is that why you felt okay with forcing me to watch Meganimum die? You must really hate me for being so useless," I choked out.

He stood there for a moment as if he were frozen, then his eyes returned to normal. I still didn't let down my guard.

"I apologize for doing that," he said, alighting on the ground, "and I do not hate you, for any reason."

I stood up straighter and let my arms down, feeling more exhausted than I had in weeks. He avoided my gaze, but I could see in his eyes that he did feel bad.

"Why was it so important that I used my powers?" I asked again, my breathing finally returning to normal.

"I . . . overheard your conversation with Ash."

_Of course you did._

"Which one? We talk pretty often."

"The very first one, on the night you found me," he admitted.

My jaw dropped.

"You heard us all the way from here? I thought you were too weak to do stuff like that back then!"

"Listening does not require much energy, and you did see me get a glass of water from Hoenn that same evening," he said.

"I thought you were just joking about that!"

"Why would I joke about water?"

"Have you really overheard every conversation we had since you got here?"

"No, just that one . . . and also the most recent one. But only those two, I swear," he said sincerely.

"What does our conversation have to do with any of this?"

"I heard how upset you were about being unable to protect those you care about. Not yourself, not your Pokémon, and . . . not your parents."

My breath caught in my throat.

"And so," he continued, "I recently decided that I need to be the one to help you find the power do that."

"But why? My Pokémon and I are fine the way things are—"

"I know that it is always on your mind," he admitted, breaking eye contact, "and . . . I also know what it is like to be powerless. To lose the ones you . . . care about."

"Wait . . . you do?" I asked, surprised by this new development.

"Yes. I suppose being separated from my fellow clones allows me to relate to your . . . concerns," he said finally.

I almost choked on my inhale.

"Your clones? You mean there are more of you?!"

"I really hope not," he muttered under his breath before adding, "I was referring to the ones of the other Pokémon that I . . . _borrowed_ from the trainers that came to fight me," he clarified.

"That's right, Ash told me about them," I said, remembering, "but those clones . . . they're alive, right? Why would you be so—"

"It is the best explanation I can offer," he cut me off, "I do not know exactly why, but, when I heard you talk about not being able to protect the ones you care about I just . . . something strange happened. I . . . felt something, I suppose."

I gave him a look of confusion. "Felt something . . . ?"

"Forget it, that was all I wanted to say," he said, waving his hand at me before changing the subject, "so are you quitting this training or not?"

I thought for a moment.

"There has to be a better way to train without doing this kind of stuff, right?" I asked.

"There may be, but . . . this was the only idea I had," Mewtwo admitted.

Then I looked up at Mewtwo again and clapped my hands together.

"Did you think of something better?" he asked.

"Maybe . . . I could do martial arts instead!"

"Martial arts?"

"Yeah, you know, like . . . hiyah!"

With no proper technique whatsoever, I kicked the air with my foot to demonstrate what I meant.

He scoffed, "You are joking, right? Everybody knows that Special Attacks are superior to Physical ones."

"I think you're just saying that because you only use Special attacks. Besides, having some way to defend myself is better than nothing, right?" I asked, punching and invisible target.

"But it would be useless; as it stands now you have the Physical Attack ability of that Ratatta over there," he said, indicating the tall grass nearby.

My jaw dropped in mock indignance.  
"Hey! I could probably get strong enough to take you down if you didn't have your psychic powers."

"Yes but . . . I have them," he smirked.

"But what if you didn't? Then would you be easy to defeat? You have noodle arms, and six fingers."

He pondered that question for a moment, then said, "I have not thought of that before. But notion of losing my powers is ludicrous."

"But what if you did?"

"Well, it may be comparable to losing my vision or hearing. Or perhaps even both. Although even without my vision or hearing I can still see and hear with my abilities. Either way, I cannot imagine a scenario where that would be possible, so it is not relevant."

"But what if—"

"In any case, we will definitely continue with your training when I can come up with better methods. But that will be all for today," he interrupted.

He teleported to a location where he could not hear my protests. I folded my arms over my chest and started inside to make breakfast.


	23. Chapter 23

This chapter is a nod to the Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Time / Darkness games, where Dimensional Screams are introduced. Here they are just called "visions" as they have not been identified as such (yet!).

* * *

Chapter 23

Desperate to avoid having more 'training sessions,' I made sure to keep busy with my team every day. Mewtwo never protested; instead, he began testing my abilities (and my patience) in other ways. Sometimes he liked to sneak up behind me and scare me as he did that morning, but more frequently, and to everybody's surprise, he started waking me up from all my nightmares.

He made sure to be the first one in the room at any sign of my discomfort, somehow beating Togekiss, and I would quickly wake up with his hands on my arms. I protested this the first few times it happened, but I was secretly relieved to not have to deal with those horrifying dreams any longer. Unfortunately for him, Mewtwo was always left disappointed; I never burned him again after that first time.

The days seemed to fly by, and before I knew it nearly four months had passed since I captured Mewtwo. It was around this time when I first caught myself thinking about the day that he would decide to leave; eventually, it got to the point where I was concerned that he would quietly slip away without any warning at all. I repeatedly told myself it was irrational to think he would do that, though I also thought it was odd that I had no idea what his plan was.

I knew Mewtwo must have heard the thought cross my mind many times; it was obvious that he was nearly always reading my mind. After I thought the anticipation was going to kill me, I finally gathered up the courage to ask him aloud while we were out training with my team one day.

"Hey, Mewtwo?"

"What is it?"

"Do you know . . . I mean . . . when are you gonna—"

Before I could actually get the sentence out, Mewtwo pressed his hands to the sides of his head and groaned loudly.

"Are you okay? Is it one of your injuries?" I asked, coming to his side.

"No, just a massive headache," he grumbled, turning away from me, "I will go home and rest for today."

"Oh, okay! Feel better—"

He disappeared before I could say "soon." I stood there for a moment, trying to figure out if it was something I said.

"_He didn't have a headache_," Togekiss murmured suddenly.

"He didn't?" I asked, turning to look at him.

"_No, but his aura did change dramatically all of a sudden_."

His reaction puzzled all of us, and I did not attempt to ask him so directly again. But on another occasion, I decided to test Ash's theory about him not wanting to leave.

"Good morning!," I called to nobody in particular, as I came down the stairs another morning, "It's such a nice day outside!"

"Yes," Mewtwo replied absentmindedly, "can you give us a few minutes?"

"… Huh?"

I kept walking toward the living room and my question was answered; he and Ampharos were locked in a fierce game of checkers. The determination on Ampharos' face almost made me laugh; I had never seen her more serious about anything in her life.

Though I was nearly overcome with the desire to ask when he found time to teach Ampharos how to play, I could not let myself be distracted.

"Actually, I'm thinking about taking it easy today," I said, also trying to be nonchalant, "we've all been working hard. Why don't you go to Hoenn and visit Ash?"

He paused for a moment, then moved a piece and looked at Ampharos expectantly.

"I could do that," he said, his expression blank as he waited for his opponent's decision.

"Oh," I said, hardly able to disguise my surprise, "alri—"

"But what will you do if it becomes stormy during my travels and I am electrocuted? Will you tell Ash that you let me leave your protection so I could make such a dangerous journey? How would you be able to handle the guilt? Moreover, how would you know if I died?"

"I . . . but . . . can't you—?"

By this point, Ampharos had made her move, but Mewtwo appeared to have lost all focus on the game. He looked up at me as he continued, "How _dare_ you propose that I risk my life like that. Did Ash not entrust you with the task of protecting me? He would be very disappointed in you for suggesting something like this."

I was about to mention that not only could he teleport himself there, but he could also make the storm go away. Before I could get that far, he telepathically moved a king across the checkerboard, jumping every single one of Ampharos' pieces.

"We will go over some more strategies later," he said in response to her shocked expression.

Without addressing the confusion in my head, he immediately rose from where he was sitting and went upstairs saying "Excuse me, I will go read a book now."

I had laughed then; this Aunt was never much of a reader, the only books in this house were cookbooks.

Though there were no more Team Rocket sightings, having to live so carefully was tiresome; the nightmares were shorter but had not stopped, which told me that we were not out of the woods with Team Rocket yet. Being so careful all the time was beginning to wear on everybody, including my Pokémon. At one point I started researching new regions to move to; I knew I couldn't stay here once this whole thing blew over.

"Mewtwo, have you been to Unova?" I asked as I scrolled through the region's website on our home computer one day.

"Once," was all he said.

I waited for him to explain further, but he didn't.

". . . Did you—"

"No, I did not like it. There are too many cities, and the pollution was out of control."

"Which region shall I move to?" I asked, mostly to myself.

"I do not know."

Though I wasn't talking to him, his response still shocked me.

"Wait, what was that?" I asked, turning to look at him.

He also looked surprised, then he coughed and said, "I mean, Sinnoh is the obvious choice . . . in my opinion."

"What am I going to eat for breakfast tomorrow?"

"Cereal," he said quickly, looking away.

"Nope, we just ran out of cereal!" I said victoriously.

He sighed, "Fine, you caught me."

"But I'm confused, can't most Psychic Pokémon see the future?"

"I _can_ see the future," he replied, rolling his eyes, "but just . . . not yours."

"What? Why not mine?"

"I also do not have the answer, I was hoping to figure that out by studying your abilities further."

"How come you never told me?"

"It never came up, and I knew it would worry you."

"_Should _I be worried?" I asked, starting to worry.

"No," he said reassuringly, "I am sure that it is related to being fused with a supernatural being, I just wish I knew why."

His confidence set my mind at ease again; over the last few months, Mewtwo became much more forthcoming than when we first met.

"But you can read my mind, right?"

"It is difficult not to, your thoughts are quite loud," he sighed.

"Really? Thoughts can be loud?"

"I did not realize how loud they can be until I met you. It is a good thing that you do not have other Psychic-Type Pokémon, they would have a difficult time handling them," he joked.

"Now you're just being mean," I said, somewhat hurt by his words.

"But still not as loud as those of Gyarados," he added under his breath.

On the day of the fourth month, the late summer rain finally arrived. It was coming down hard and fast, so I decided to take the day off and stay home with my Pokémon. Ironically, Mewtwo thought it would be a good opportunity to wander around Kanto a little; he left after promising to be home by dinnertime. With him gone, I was home with Ninetails, Togekiss, Arbok, and Ampharos, while Gyarados was outside enjoying the downpour. Ninetails, Amphy and I were sitting on the couch watching Super Contests, while Arbok was comfortably curled up under the coffee table, fast asleep.

Suddenly, the phone rang.

Arbok woke up and banged her head on the table, hissing in annoyance. Ampharos yelped and accidentally knocked me in the head with her tail, and I couldn't help but jump in surprise.

_Wait . . . we have a house phone? No one ever calls here._

"Calm down Arbok!" I yelled after she continued to hiss, "It's just the phone!"

I ran at top speed toward the kitchen, slid across the wood floor in my socks, and picked up the phone as I continued to slide into the counter.

"Donahue residence!" I said to the phone.

"Hello?" said a female voice on the other end, "Is there a Lilly home?"

The voice was familiar, but it certainly was not my Aunt Claire.

". . . Speaking," I said hesitantly.

"Oh!" the woman said, suddenly excited, "It's nice to meet you! I'm your Aunt Clare's friend, she just wants to know what you're doing at her house."

I knew that I had heard the voice somewhere before, but I could not remember who it was for the life of me.

"I'm . . . um . . . do I know you?"

"This is your Aunt's friend, Sue!" the voice insisted, "The one your Aunt came to visit in Hoenn!"

"Can I talk to my Aunt? How did she know I was here?"

"She's busy with something right now, I'll tell her exactly what you tell me."

I heard Ninetails get up from the couch and come toward the kitchen.

"What's your name again?" I asked the lady, purposely stalling.

"Sue, my name is Sue!" she said, beginning to grow impatient.

"Sorry, there's a big storm and . . . uh . . . you're breaking up, goodbye!"

I slammed the phone back into the holder and started walking back toward the living room, completely freaked out by that point. Just as I was about to say something to Ninetails, my vision began to darken.

"Oh no," I moaned, knowing exactly what was coming, "not this again."

I saw Ninetails run toward me as I sank to my knees before completely blacking out, and the flash of white light came as the vision started.

_I was in my Aunt's room, sitting on the edge of her bed and looking out the big window. It was dark outside, but there were no stars, and the air was misty from earlier rainfall. _

_Moments later, a loud rumbling was heard in the distance. Its source came into view when the helicopter alighted next to my house; one with a big red 'R' painted on its side. I gasped and ran out of the bedroom, tripping over my own feet in my surprise. When I got back up again, I sprinted down the hall and into Mewtwo's room, where he was sleeping for some reason, then jumped on his bed in the attempt to wake him up. By the time he opened his eyes, it was too late; the Rockets were already in the room. The first one held up a strange gun, aimed around me and at Mewtwo, and pulled the trigger. I screamed, there was another bright flash, and my vision darkened again._


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter 24

When I came to, I was still on my knees. I looked up and saw that my Pokémon were looking at me curiously. My vision blurred again as I sank closer to the ground with a sob.

"_Lilly, what's wrong?_" Ninetails asked, nudging her head under one of my arms.

I looked up at her.

"The Rockets . . ."

"_What about them?_" Ampharos called.

"They're coming for . . . they're gonna kill Mewtwo!" I bawled.

"_You ssssssaw it?!_" Arbok cried, aghast.

"That woman on the phone was . . . she must have been from T-Team Rocket," I suddenly realized.

"_But you saw it, too?_" Togekiss pressed.

"They're coming in a helicopter . . ."

I quickly got up and ran to the kitchen window, not wanting to believe myself. Night was beginning to fall over the neighborhood, and it looked just as the Scream described; humid and still cloudy.

I tried to stifle a sob with my hand. Ninetails accidentally knocked a chair over as she ran to my side again and allowed me to bury my face in her fur.

Suddenly, the front door banged open.

Arbok hissed and quickly slithered around us, baring her fangs. Ampharos growled and began to prepare an electrical attack, but she stopped as I heard another voice coming from the same direction.

"_What's going on here? Why are you yelling, trainer?_"

"Team . . . R-R . . ."

I was still crying too much to coherently explain what just happened. Arbok went ahead and relayed to Gyarados all that had come to pass within the last ten minutes.

"_Well then we'll help him fight, won't we?_" Gyarados growled from the front door, already getting fired up, "_it's our job to protect him from these criminals._"

"_Yeah, let's kick some Rocket ass!_"

"No!" I shouted, "I can't risk any of you guys getting killed if we try to help him!"

"_Well we're not just going to stand by and do nothing, they must be on their way soon_," Ninetails said calmly, though she was pawing at the ground nervously.

"Nobody is fighting Team Rocket," I said, my head still in her fur, "It's too dangerous, we have to get out of here."

"_Sssshould we look for him?_" Arbok asked.

"No, he can't come with us. It's the only way he can be safe, they know where I am now," I said into Ninetails' fur.

Ninetails nudged my back with her nose, encouraging me to raise my head. I was able to compose myself and walked back to the living room with her.

"_Lilly, are you sure this is the best course of action? Wouldn't it be better to just explain the situation to Mewtwo?_" Togekiss asked, looking at me intently.

"No, this is the only way to make sure they don't find him," I said curtly, "he can't stick around, he doesn't know when he's in danger when he's with me, and they won't stop following me."

"_That wasn't what I—_"

"_Togekiss, she saw something we didn't. We should respect her wishes,_" Ninetails said, silencing him with a look.

Togekiss fell silent out of respect for Ninetails, but it was obvious that he did not agree with my decision. Ninetails gently nudged me toward the couch.

"_Then we have to come up with a plan to make him leave._ _What shall we do?_" Ninetails asked.

I sat on the couch with my head in my hands and said, "I have an idea, but . . . it's risky."

"_What is it?_" Ampharos asked eagerly.

I shook my head rapidly before replying, "I'm just gonna leave a note, but we need to be out of the house before he returns if this is going to work."

"_What will it read?_" Arbok asked.

"_You really think he'll fall for it?_" Togekiss asked doubtfully.

"I have a feeling he will, but we have to move quickly."

"_You should go pack provisions. We shouldn't come back here for a while after this_," Ampharos said.

"Right, I'll go do that now, but first . . ."

I ran and grabbed my duffel and began rifling through it as I continued, "I think it's best if you guys got in your Pokéballs now since we need to leave when I'm done packing."

"_Don't you want us to help you make him leave? What if he doesn't listen to you?_" Gyarados asked from the front doorway.

"I don't have to convince him because we're not going to be here when he comes back, didn't you listen to anything I just said?" I asked, exasperated.

"_I was listening,_" she grumbled back.

"All of you, into your Pokéballs!"

They returned to their Pokéballs without another word, and I quickly grabbed a notepad and a pen to write the note before returning to the coffee table.

_I have to lie . . . something that will make him leave immediately_

**_Beep!_**

The sound of my Pokénav receiving a message made me fall off the couch.

_I need to put that on silent_, I groaned to myself.

I scrambled to my knees again and ran upstairs, stumbling into my room and grabbing the Pokénav off the nightstand to see the message which read:

Hey Lilly! Do you know where can I find Mr. Peko?  
I need to get a ride to Dewford!

Still feeling quite panicked, I hastily typed back a response that read:

I'm a little busy right now,

I'll answer this later.

I threw the Pokénav back onto the mattress and hurried back downstairs. I was already lost in thought as I sat down again, trying and failing to come up with something convincing enough to trick even him.

_He always catches me if I try to lie about something, I don't know how I can pull one over him… _

It was then that I remembered something important about Mewtwo.

_I just have to think of something that will make him angry, _I thought as I tapped my pen nervously against the paper, _if I can make him angry, he won't come looking for me with questions._

The more I thought about what I was about to do, the sadder I became. If I made him as angry as I needed to, there would be no going back. It took a long time for Mewtwo to trust me, and I was about to destroy all of our progress with this one lie.

_But . . . this isn't about what you __want_, I reminded myself angrily, _this is about keeping Mewtwo safe._

At that moment, the perfect lie finally came to me; without a second thought I quickly scrawled it down onto the paper, hastily folded it in half, and ran upstairs with my duffle to throw in some clothes and other important items.


	25. Chapter 25

Chapter 25

That day, I recall telling Lilly that I was going to the Sevii Islands to do some exploring. However, upon arriving at Isle Four I began to wander more than explore the area; I already knew it like the back of my hand.

It was then that I finally decided to address the decision I had been ignoring for the last few weeks.

_I am healed by this point, there is no longer a need for me to stay there, _I considered as I levitated toward the shore, unseen.

_But . . . that incident with Cassidy . . . did she know? _

The thought was enough to make me stop moving forward.

_What if they figure it out once I leave, and come after her?_

Lilly had run-ins with Team Rocket before I came along, but she was able to demonstrate her prowess as a trainer and earn Giovanni's respect when she beat him at his own gym. They laid low after that, but our encounter with Cassidy told me that approaching her was no longer something they worried about.

_Surely, Lilly can fight them off with her Pokémon, or else she would not have told Ash she could protect me . . . right?_

While deliberating that, I suddenly recalled that they were successful in killing one of her Pokémon in the past; if they grew suspicious enough that I was with her at some point, what was to stop them from doing it again?

_Then, if that is a possibility . . . I cannot leave yet, _I resolved at that moment, _not until I determine that she can protect herself in a situation like that. Once I help her learn to use her powers, I can go on my way._

Satisfied with my decision, I thought of somewhere else I wanted to go and teleported.

I reappeared next to Ash. It was a little past midnight in Hoenn, and he was fast asleep against a tree. His Pikachu was sleeping by his side, along with a Treecko; but I was not there to see him at the moment. Once I gathered my bearings, I took off west for what I was actually searching for.

After flying for an hour or so more over several cities and a long stretch of ocean, I found what I was looking for: the entrance to Evergrande City. Even now I do not know why it is called a city; there are no other inhabitants there aside from the Elite Four.

The lack of human light pollution permitted me an incredible view of millions of stars; they added an element of majesty to the area that was absent during the daytime. I spent some time lazily wandering along the brick path, stopping to admire the design of each arch as I passed under them. I tried imagine a younger version of Lilly walking up these very steps to take the challenge for the first time.

_Perhaps one day, I can see her take on this Pokémon League again in person._

Even I was surprised at myself for thinking that.

A few minutes later, I found what I was looking for; a field of flowers near the entrance to the Pokémon League building. Lilly once described these to me as her favorite flowers. I did not understand at first because they sounded quite basic. But in that moment, it began to make more sense to me; brilliant blues and bright pinks gently swayed in the wind under the gradually fading moonlight, they were indeed lovely to look at.

I scanned the fields and selected a few of the best ones I could find, snapping them from the earth and bringing them to myself, then remembered that it was growing close to dinner time back in Kanto. I teleported myself and the flowers back into Lilly's house.

When I arrived, the house was darker than I expected it to be. Though the sun was not visible through the thick clouds outside, I could sense that twilight would not arrive for another hour or so.

_That is odd . . . perhaps I am a little early. Though I could have sworn Lilly said she was staying home today, _I thought to myself, somewhat perplexed.

I floated there for a moment with the flowers still in my hand, half expecting Lilly to walk through the front door with a bag of take-out or a pizza box in her arms. When that did not happen either, I began looking around for some kind of clue as to where she would have gone.

It was when I glanced at the coffee table that I saw it; a piece of notebook paper clumsily folded in half with a Pokéball next to it. On the front was scribbled the words:

For Mewtwo

My confusion mounted as I levitated the note to myself and began reading. Lilly's handwriting was never neat to begin with, but this handwriting was hardly legible at all. After my first read-through I was not sure that I read it correctly, so I read through again.

And again.

And a third time.

My eyes darted over the piece of paper repeatedly as I tried to make sense of the message she wrote, which read:

_Team Rocket is coming. I kept the phone number from Cassidy and have been talking to her. She paid me to keep you in one place until Team Rocket could come up with a plan to catch you. They sent the money to me today and will be here soon, I'm telling you in case you wanted to leave before they get here._

I gently alighted on the ground, dropping the flowers and taking the paper into my hands.

_She . . . no, it cannot be that she . . ._

I was so preoccupied by what I just read that I nearly jumped out of my skin when I heard the sound of a draw closing upstairs. This was followed by the sound of small feet running down the hallway and down the wooden staircase. I stared at the steps as Lilly came down; she still did not realize I was standing there. When she finally looked up, she gasped and dropped her grey duffel bag.

I stared at her wordlessly for a second, waiting for her to say "just kidding" or something similar, but the look on her face was a mixture of shock and fear.

"I . . . I thought you wouldn't be back until . . ."

Her voice trailed off, unable to finish her thought.

"Lilly," I said quietly, showing her the piece of paper, "what is this?"

She averted her eyes, knowing fully well what was on that paper. Her thoughts were incoherently screaming over each other, the sound was grating on my ears.

"Tell me!" I roared, instantly incinerating the paper with my mind, "I deserve an explanation!"

She flinched, but still made no attempt to explain herself. Her breathing slowed and became focused, and the thoughts in her head grew increasingly quieter until they stopped altogether. I quickly realized what she was doing and became furious.

"What are you hiding from me?!"

I tried to push past the barrier anyway but was met with a searing pain in my skull. I gasped and put my hands to my head, growing angrier with each passing second.

"What the paper said is true," she said calmly, ignoring my discomfort, "I thought it would be fair to give you a head-start since I already have the money."

She bent down to pick up her bag as she finished with the words, "You should leave now, while you still can."

"You betrayed Ash," I said plainly, recovering from the burning sensation.

"I had to, for the money," she reminded me, her voice still quiet, "I need to start over in a new region, it isn't cheap—"

"You betrayed Ash, and you betrayed me," I continued, my voice rising with each word.

I did not know that I was walking toward Lilly until I realized that my face was inches from hers. Though she was doing her utmost to remain composed, I could see fear flickering in her green eyes.

"You _lied_ to me!" I bellowed, finally losing my temper and tearing the kitchen cabinet doors off of their hinges, smashing them against the wall and floor.

She screamed and put her hands over her ears.

"How dare you . . . you selfish brat!"

I looked toward the dining room and levitated the nearest chair, smashing it into the table and sending splinters flying.

"I knew I never should have trusted you—"

I did not finish my sentence before I saw the red light envelop my body; I was immediately pulled into the Pokéball Lilly had first captured me with. Seething, I forced my way out and turned to look at her. The Pokéball was on the floor a few feet away.

Nobody moved for a moment, but then she took a step toward it.

"You DARE—!"

Without even turning to look at the Pokéball, I lifted it and tore the hemispheres apart with my mind. Then I lifted her with my psychic energy and slammed her against the kitchen wall. She began to cry, but I had already lost all patience.

"You seem to forget . . . just how many people I had to kill to win my freedom . . ."

I levitated a shard of glass from one of the cabinet doors on the floor and held it close to her throat.

"Shall I add one more to the tally today?"

Lilly's eyes were screwed shut as tears continued to stream down her face, and her breathing was shallow.

"Why did you do it?" I asked quietly.

I tried to search her mind again, but it was still no use.

"Answer me!" I screamed through the pain I felt in my head, pressing the glass to her skin.

She cried out and opened her eyes, which immediately darted down to the shard of glass.

"D-Don't do this," she sniffled quietly, still avoiding my gaze, "just go now, I . . . I have what I wanted."

"FINE!"

I dropped her and the shard of glass to the floor, where she curled up against the wall and began sobbing loudly.

"I should have known that you were no better than any other greedy human," I growled with contempt before standing up.

I walked out the front door and slammed it with all the force I had behind me, smirking to myself as I heard the glass crack and break.


	26. Chapter 26

Disclaimer: I have NEVER seen an episode of Pokémon or a movie with Cassidy and Butch, so I have no idea how they act (I gave Butch a British accent for some reason?)

Trigger warning: Violence

* * *

Chapter 26

Once I was certain that Mewtwo was gone, I carefully stepped over the splintered wood and broken glass before stumbling onto the couch. I curled up into a ball and took deep breaths, trying to get myself to stop trembling so violently. Tears were still running down my face, and my ears rang from his screams.

_I . . . I did it._

I hadn't anticipated crossing paths with Mewtwo; I remember feeling as though I was going to vomit when I saw him hovering there. The moment he asked me to explain myself, I really thought it was all over. But in that moment of panic I realized that if he couldn't see my future, then surely, I could prevent him from reading my mind if I tried hard enough.

After a few minutes, I sat up and turned to look at the kitchen and the dining room . . . or what was left of it. The table was broken into several pieces, and the chair he smashed it with was reduced to large fragments of wood. Broken glass covered the kitchen floor like fat snowflakes. Several shards had made their way to the living room as well, though I could not find any pieces in my bare feet. I touched the spot on my neck where he pressed the glass and was relieved to see that there was no blood there, either.

Among the debris, there was something strange near the stairs that caught my eye.

I slowly got to my feet and walked behind the couch to pick it up. The flower was still intact, and after looking at it for a moment longer I immediately recognized its color and shape from the gardens at Ever Grande. There were several more on the ground that I failed to notice earlier, right under where the two halves of the Pokéball were. I picked them up and held them in my hands. I was silent for all of two seconds before sinking to my knees and bursting into tears once more.

When I finally pulled myself together again, I looked outside and realized that it had grown quite dark by this point.

_Better get out of here, _I thought to myself nervously.

I stuffed the flowers in my grey bag before pulling out several thousand Poké from my wallet to leave for my Aunt (the "not-having-enough-money" statement was a blatant lie, even with the hiatus from battling trainers), then carefully pushed the broken door open and walked outside. Just as I was about to shut it behind me, I froze when I remembered that I left my new Pokénav on the bed.

_Do I _actually_ need it?_

After deciding that it was too valuable to leave behind, I threw my bag on the ground, ran back inside the house, up the stairs and back into my room.

Just as I grabbed the Pokénav, I heard loud engines.

I gasped softly before dashing to my Aunt's room to get a better view from the large window and my fears were confirmed: a solid black helicopter was touching down several meters from my house. The side slid open and a man jumped out, taking off toward the front door.

My entire body went numb. I dropped my Pokénav when I quickly backed away before falling onto the bed behind me.

_No, no, this can't be happening!_

I had no idea what I was going to do to get out of this. And it was too late to do anything about it, because I heard the front door being kicked open, followed by a loud bang as it fell to the floor.

_Don't panic, don't panic_, I kept saying to myself as I felt panic rise in my chest.

As I was thinking of ways to escape without being noticed, I suddenly remembered that my Pokémon were in my duffel bag just outside of the house. I really started to lose it when I thought of Meganimum. I could have jumped into the bush from my bedroom window, but that would mean leaving my Pokémon behind.

I heard him mutter to himself, "What the 'ell 'appened here? Looks like a bloody tornado hit."

Then I heard the sound of heavy boots crunching on top of broken glass.

"I know you're in 'ere! Come out with your 'ands up, and no'un 'as to get hurt!"

_Does he have a weapon?_ I thought fearfully.

There was a loud thud as the coffee table was kicked over. Then I heard him begin to further destroy the kitchen draws were pulled out and the remaining chairs were knocked over. My stomach dropped when I heard the tiny scratching noises and sniffing; he had a Pokémon with him.

At that point, I began breathing as quietly as I could to avoid detection. I frantically looked for a place to hide, and under the bed was the best I could find. Grabbing my Pokénav from the bed, I slid underneath the frame and pulled my limbs close to my body. I activated the Pokenav's camera and put it on selfie mode as I began to record myself.

"Whoever finds this, my name is Lilly Prescott, and there's a member of Team Rocket in my house," I spoke with barely a whisper to the Pokénav.

"I think he's going to try to take me, but I don't know where. If someone could get this to anyone who might be able to help me—"

Something else was knocked over with a loud crash, and I flinched. I continued, "Ash, if Mewtwo found you, he probably told you that I was going to sell him to the Rockets and that I saved him just for that, but you know me well enough to know that's wrong."

Another crash.

"You're useless! Go upstairs an' find 'er!"

"I knew the Rockets were coming here today because I had a vision earlier. I lied to him hoping that he would get angry and leave. I didn't want to, but it was the only way to get him out of harm's way—"

**_BANG_**

I screamed at the top of my lungs when the gun went off, dropping the Pokénav to the floor. I heard footsteps and something small scrambling up the stairs and knew that I was out of time. My hands fumbled for the device and I began to talk through the tears rolling down my face.

"I had to keep him safe, I wasn't gonna let the Rockets take him back. But it was hard seeing him so angry and hurt because I—"

I paused again as the sound of little feet and claws made their way into the room, though I knew that it was pointless to keep quiet by that point.

"I-I really love him," I sniffled as quietly as I could.

Before I could throw the Pokénav behind myself, sharp claws were grabbing at my hair. Before I knew what happened, I was quickly dragged out from under the bed. I saw that it was a Sneasle that grabbed me, and his trainer was scowling at the foot of the bed. The Rocket approached and roughly pulled me up by my arm, pinning me against the wall. I tried to hide the Pokénav behind my back, but he saw it.

"And who the fuck are you talkin' to, girl?" the man asked, grabbing the device from my hand.

"Nobody, it's just a video!" I cried, trying to grab it back.

He examined it in one hand, realized that it was recording him, and smiled really wide.

"Leavin' a message, eh? You're way ahead of me, kid!" he laughed.

I stood there, too afraid to move.

"Oi, listen up," he began talking to the Pokénav, "if you want to see this girl alive again, bring Mewtwo alive to Azela Town within the next forty-eight hours, since e's clearly not fucking in this house. Or else . . ."

He let go of me and pushed something hard and cold against my temple, whispering, "I simply can't guarantee her safety."

I could not suppress the pathetic cry when I realized that it was a gun, and it was then that I realized how hopeless the situation really was for me.

He put the gun away, threw the Pokénav on the bed, then grabbed both my wrists in one of his hands and pinned my arms above my head against the wall. I cried out again, still not looking at my attacker.

"I'm only gonna ask this once: where's Mewtwo?" he shouted at me.

"I . . . I don't know!" I blubbered.

Without hesitation he slapped me across the right side of my face. I screamed again and started crying.

"Don't you _fucking_ lie to me! I watched the two of you come in an' outta this bloody 'ouse for two _b_l_oody _months now, so don't tell me 'e isn't 'ere!" he bellowed.

"He left today!" I sobbed, "he just left!"

"You think I'm that stupid?!" he roared and slapped me in the same place.

I cried out again as I touched my cheek; it throbbed angrily in response.

"I–I made him leave," I choked out, "I lied and told him that I was going t–to sell him back to Team Rocket, a-and then he—"

"Ha! An' the dumb bastard believed it? Like hell we'd buy that good-for-nothing back!" the Rocket laughed.

He let go of my arm and punched the wall next to my head in anger, making me scream in fright once more. Then he grabbed a fistful of my hair and dragged me out of the room. I was still crying hysterically, and it didn't help when I thought of what would happen if he found my bag with my precious Pokémon right outside the house.

"W–Where are you taking me?" I cried as he practically threw me down the stairs in front of him. I stumbled and would have fallen flat on my face, had he not grabbed my hair again.

"I'm taking you back to the hideout with me!" he growled in response.

"No!"

"Boss said come back with Mewtwo, or don't come back at all! So, I'm bringin' the little sneak that'll tell 'im where the damn thing is!"

I fought against his strong grip on my hair.

"Don't take me there! I really don't know where he is, please!"

Though I was feeling too scared for Mewtwo and my Pokémon to care about them getting to me, I was also terrified of going there without any kind of protection. I struggled to free myself with all my might, but the man held firm. He dragged me across the kitchen, through the broken glass, over the front door on the ground, and into the night.

Thanks to the darkness, he walked by my grey bag without so much as glance; a small wave of relief washed over me. My sobbing lessened as he dragged me all the way to the helicopter, then pushed me up to it and shouted, "Cassidy! Take the monkey!"

A blond head with a pretty face appeared, her eyes looking at me with revulsion.

I stopped sobbing long enough to look at her with wide eyes.

"I'd say it's nice to see you again," she said in the strange accent she used on the phone, "but, we're not here for you."

She turned and addressed her partner when she asked in her normal voice, "Why are you bringing _her _on here?! We came here for Mewtwo, not the brat!"

I was so dumbstruck that I still had not resumed fighting his grip

"Apparently, Mewtwo's not 'ere! I got the kid so she can tell Giovanni where the bloody 'ell 'e went. It's our only choice!" he exclaimed, clearly annoyed by her displeasure.

Cassidy's eyes widened, too.

"He's gone? But then why is she here?"

The man shoved me into the helicopter. I landed on the floor with a yelp, and then _she_ pulled me up by my hair and started tying my arms to my sides.

"Yep, 'e's gone! Stay 'ere a minute, I'm gonna check again."

"You'd better find him, Boss is going to be pissed!"

He went back toward the house, thankfully still ignoring the bag near the front door. Cassidy finished tying me as the man came back toward us, swearing under his breath.

"No sign of 'im," he said, "but I bugged the place in case that bastard comes back."

He grunted as he heaved himself on board, then pulled a strange-looking device out from his belt and said, "Guess I 'ave no use for this gun, then."

The weapon was carelessly tossed into the helicopter.

Cassidy hastily finished tying me, then got up and slapped him with a slender hand.

"Butch, you have to be careful with that! Giovanni said it was dangerous!"

"Ah, the 'ell with Mewtwo!"

He picked it up again, despite Cassidy's protesting.

"No! His orders were to only fire it at Mewtwo!"

"Shut the 'ell up, will you? I just wanna see what it does!"

Before she had time to argue any more, Butch aimed at a tree that wasn't too far from my house and pulled the trigger. A blue sphere emerged from it and flew at the tree, emitting a bright light when it hit its target. I watched, horrified, as tree turned brown and died on the spot.

Butch dropped the weapon on the floor again and complained, "It didn't even leave a bloody mark on it!"

Cassidy, however, looked troubled as she hissed, "That's what makes it dangerous, stupid! It kills instantly!"

At this point I was terrified for Mewtwo's life; these Rockets were desperate to get their hands on him, dead or alive. I hoped that he was safe, somewhere far away._  
_I kept silently reminding myself that this was for him when the helicopter took off for the Rocket Base. As I looked at the house from the window, tears started to run down my face again as I lamented my fate.


	27. Chapter 27

Chapter 27

I have always considered myself a rational thinker. Occasionally I make what some would consider an extreme decision, but it is always the right one given the circumstances. Anger inhibits rational thought, as such I seldom experience it. However, being created by humans also meant that it has been known to happen from time to time.

When Lilly confirmed with her own words what she had done, I felt a rage unlike anything else that came before it. I remember my vision turning blue in her house, the flashes of fear in her eyes even before she really saw how furious I was. The feeling consumed me like a fire, fueling my escape and leaving no room for second thoughts about what I did to her.

The entire exchange was eerily similar from when I escaped Giovanni's grasp the first time, with one or two stark differences. At that time I also left no room for second thoughts, but that state of mind came from a place of apathy. It is true that I trusted Giovanni, as I was new to the world and did not know any better. But when that moment came, severing that connection was easy as snapping my fingers.

This time around, I caught myself repeating the same phrase to myself:

_She never cared about you._

After some time passed, I looked down and realized that I was flying over an ocean.

_Good. I need to put as much distance between her and myself as possible._

I continued flying until my mind was absolutely numb, then I slammed into the midst of a dense forest. Massive trees and many Pokémon had made their homes there. I began to pace on my feet through the wilderness, not really seeing or hearing anything that was going on around me.

I had never experienced anger quite like this previously. At least when it was directed toward Giovanni and Team Rocket, I still felt calm and was also able to relish in taking my anger out on them. But threatening Lilly and destroying her house brought me no relief whatsoever; in fact, at that moment I truly felt as though I was about to explode. I needed to do something to release the intense energy I was feeling, but I did not know what that would be.

While I was distracted by these thoughts, I stumbled on a tree root.

I looked up and saw that its owner was a giant oak tree nearby, perhaps one of the oldest in that forest.

Without hesitation, I began pulling it from the ground using my psychic power. Its roots were holding fast, but I was not about to let that stop me from tearing it out. After about a minute of pulling and with a burst of soil, it finally ripped free from the earth. Victorious, I cried out and flung it against a nearby tree. I held it there for a moment before violently swinging my arms to the right and sending it smashing into another tree. My vision turned blue, and by then there was no more stopping me.

Again and again I growled and shouted as I sent the tree flying into other trees and rocks and the ground and whatever else was there. As I was throwing it about, I began to twist and turn my arms so that the tree creaked and groaned from the strain I forced it to bear. My heart pounded and my mind buzzed with the energy that consumed me. I wanted that tree to feel all the pain I was feeling in that moment.

I was not sure how much time passed as I took my rage out on the forest around me; it could have been hours, days even. I hardly noticed the Pokémon that were fleeing in all directions, terrified by the swift demolition of their homes. After one final scream and twist of my arms, I raised what was left of the tree high into the air before throwing it into the ground, sending up a massive cloud of dust. It was then that I fell to my knees, closed my eyes, and rested thereupon the earth, the fury finally drained from me.

I sat that way for a long time as I waited for the remnants of the buzzing in my head to finally cease. At last, my mind was clear, and my pulse slowed as I found my calm.

By the time I opened my eyes, the dust had completely settled; my own skin was covered in a thin layer of soil. There was a vast patch of open land in the middle of the dense forest. In the moonlight, the jagged stumps cast shadows where there were trees only minutes ago.

I stood up and strolled toward the remnants of the tree I used, dying in the field's center. It was twisted in ways that no tree could ever be on its own, completely broken and splintered. Thousands of leaves were scattered across the land, and the few branches that remained attached hung very loosely.

I ran my hand along the damaged trunk, feeling the sharp pieces of wood against my skin. The realization that I destroyed something perhaps much older than I would ever live to be was beginning to dawn on me.

_Am I truly doomed to ruin everything I touch?_

I sat down next to it, the broken wood scratching my back.

_Was what happened . . . my fault? Am I to blame?_

The tree, of course, didn't respond.

"No, do not let her get inside your head," I growled quietly, pressing my fingers to my temples.

"She is gone now."

The numbness was interrupted by what felt like a rock that formed in my chest. Startled, I touched it thinking that there really was something on top of me, but my hand only met clammy skin.

_What is this? _

The sensation was vaguely familiar, almost

_Where have I felt this way before?_

There was silence for a moment, soon broken by a gentle breeze that began to blow over the field and through the trees surrounding it. I sat there for a while, listening to the wind and mulling over what to do next. I no longer answered to any humans; I was free to choose, to live my life the way I wanted to once again.

_Then . . . why did I react so viciously? _

I closed my eyes again and breathed deeply, knowing what I had to do at that moment. I left the tree lying there and took off again into the night sky, flying south toward Hoenn.

Though I was able to think more clearly after that episode, I was beginning to grow increasingly angrier at myself for allowing this to happen in the first place.

_How could I have let my guard down so easily? I should have known from the beginning that she never meant to help me. _

And then I remembered the first night she found me, how she spent the next hours cleaning and dressing my wounds despite the resentment she felt toward me for hurting her and her Pokémon.

_She had to ensure that I did not become ill and weak. Perhaps the price on my head would have dropped significantly_, I thought to myself bitterly, shaking the previous memory out of my mind.

I finally arrived at where Ash should have first started his adventure in Hoenn: Petalburg City; I wanted him to hear what had happened from me first, rather than some lie from Lilly.

The sun was just beginning to lower in the sky here, but I knew in Kanto it was around the time that people would be waking up to begin their day. I pictured Lilly opening the door to my room as she always did and saying good morning—

_Do not think about her._

I quickly cleared my head of the thought.

_Trusting her nearly killed me. She is no longer of any importance._

I scanned the small town for any sign of Ash, but he appeared to have left the area roughly a day ago.

_Due . . . west? Yes, certainly west._

I levitated once more and headed in that direction.

A short while later, his presence became clear. The sun was slowly setting over the mountains, turning the tall grasses golden and casting long shadows over the ground. I noticed the burnt spots on trees where some of Pikachu's electric had been discharged, and a single footprint in a mud puddle made by a shoe indicated that Ash had walked around there. I continued heading in the same direction, finally coming across the boy asleep under a tall pine tree. He was still with his Pikachu, but now a Treecko also rested by his side.

_Asleep at this time of day? Some trainer you are._

Without hesitation, I hovered to Ash and repeatedly tapped him on his cap with a finger.

"Ash!" I said loudly.

He woke with a start, practically falling over. Pikachu squeaked and bolted upright, relaxing again once he realized it was me. But without missing a beat the Treecko bolted launched himself at me, smacking at my shoulder with small fists. Unabashed, I levitated him over by Ash, who finally sat up. He was looking at me with a half-asleep expression upon his face.

"Mewtwo? Whaaaaaat are you doing here?" he asked through a yawn.

I did not respond immediately because I was still distracted. The Treecko did not enjoy being suspended in the air; it screamed incessantly and swung its small arms about. I placed it in a maple tree nearby, from which he watched me with mistrusting yellow eyes.

Ash pushed himself to his feet, yawning again as he stretched his arms.

"Is Lilly here, too? She didn't tell me you guys were—"

"Ash, it was all a lie," I interrupted curtly.

"So . . . she's not here, then?" he asked, yawning yet again.

I put a hand to my forehead, annoyed at his oblivious attitude.

"Lilly never meant to protect me, she . . . she was going to sell me back to Team Rocket yesterday."

Ash's eyes widened and he choked on the air that he gasped, then closed his mouth and stared at me incredulously for a moment.

"Is this supposed to be a joke? Did I miss April Fool's day?"

"What is April Fool's day?"

Ash pinched his own cheek and asked, "Am I even . . . am I awake right now?"

"Yes Ash, you are," I replied, trying not to roll my eyes again.

"But," he said slowly, almost to himself, "she couldn't . . . she would never— "

"It almost happened! I arrived at home today . . . well, yesterday, and she left a note explaining that she was paid to keep me in one spot. I read it before she was able to flee the house, and . . ."

I trailed off in response to the face Ash was making. He was now staring at me with a look of utter bewilderment.

"Is there something you need me to clarify? I thought I was being clear enough."

Ash shook his head and said, "No, Mewtwo, you're making no sense! She would never, ever do anything like that— "

"Why do you not believe me? Do you actually trust her word over mine?"

I turned around, pacing for a moment, then came back and asked, "You do understand the gravity of this situation, yes?"

"I just . . . there's just no way—"

"She betrayed you, Ash! You were not there! You did not hear her say the things she said— "

"You're right, I don't understand. Lilly would never do something like that, she— "

"Enough!" I practically roared, pressing my hands to my temples again, "she does not, and she never did! Lilly was deceiving us this whole time!"

"But the story you're telling me isn't adding up. Have you thought about this at all instead of just getting angry?" Ash asked heatedly.

"Do you hear yourself? Whose side are you—"

I stopped, my heart dropping into my stomach, as humans say, at the thought I just had.

"You . . . did you conspire with her from the beginning?!"

"Really? You're just going to forget about everything I went through to protect you from Team Rocket?"

I glared back at him in defiance, though I could not help but feel somewhat relieved; I was desperately hoping that I was wrong.

"Let's think about this for a second," Ash said, taking a deep breath before continuing, "if Lilly _really_ wanted to sell you back to the Rockets, which we both know she didn't, then why would she tell you that they were coming to get you?"

"She did not care about what happened to me," I said, my voice calmer, "she received the money and left a note explaining what she had done. I read it while she was upstairs gathering things with which to leave."

"Received the money? You mean . . . you really think they paid her?"

". . . Yes."

"Would Team Rocket actually trust a kid enough to pay them before they got what they wanted?" Ash asked me seriously.

"I . . . well . . . I suppose it would be . . . uncharacteristic of them," I admitted, avoiding his gaze.

"See? You know it's strange too," Ash murmured, looking past me as he thought.

"Well, they had to have been coming. What other reason would she have for writing that note? If she did not want me around, she could have just said that instead of putting us through this," I retorted.

"You keep saying she wrote a note, but did she say anything about them coming?"

I paused for a moment, trying to remember through the intense anger I was feeling at the time I found out.

"She said . . . she needed the money to start over in a new region," I recalled, "but . . . she would not say anything else. And I was barred from reading her mind," I added quietly.

"Wait . . . how did she—"

"Lilly has been able to create a barrier on her skin that burns those who touch her, but she figured out how to do it with her mind as well. She said very little, and when I tried to get more information . . . she resorted to that."

Ash grew quiet as he continued to think, his eyes narrowing as time passed.

"Mewtwo . . . something about this feels very wrong."

He got to his feet and continued, "I don't know why she did any of those things, but she must have had a good reason. And you're taking me to Kanto right now to ask why."

"Have you lost your mind? Why would we go_ back _to the person who— "

"I need to talk to her about this myself, Mewtwo," he said, picking up his backpack.

"Why not message her with your technology? That would be faster than traveling there."

"That's another thing, I'm even more worried because she hasn't been answering her Pokénav."

"Perhaps because she really is guilty?"

Ash shook his head irritably, "No, my texts and calls are just being ignored. She would have just blocked me if she didn't want to talk to me."

"Blocked? Being 'blocked' means she does not wish to talk?"

"Yeah, and she never just ignores me for this long," he continued, "so she might have broken hers, or something worse might have happened. We won't know until we go find out for ourselves."

I pondered this as Ash back at the tree and waved his hand, saying, "Come on, Treecko, get into the Pokéball."

The Treecko obeyed Ash and scrambled down from the tree. Pikachu hopped onto Ash's shoulder and looked at me expectantly.

"And what makes you think I will comply with your demands?" I asked, folding my arms over my chest.

"The whole situation is fishy, there has to be something we're missing. I know you can sense it too, but you're too proud to admit it."

"I will . . . allow for the possibility of there being more than I initially thought to the situation, however that does not explain why I must accompany—"

"And you need her, even if you won't say that either," Ash added.

I looked back at him and opened my mouth to retort, but after a moment I let out a sigh. I shook my head and said, "Very well, but I do not want you to be disappointed when you hear what she has to say."

Ash grabbed my arm, and I teleported with him and Pikachu back to Pallet Town.


	28. Chapter 28

Sorry about the delay, I'm on vacation in Tokyo this week! I'm posting two chapters, they were originally part of longer chapters but I ended up having to split them in half because it flowed better. As a result, they took a little longer to massage out. Enjoy!

* * *

Chapter 28

A few minutes into our flight, Cassidy's cellphone rang.

"Who's callin'?" Butch asked nervously.

She pulled it out and looked at the screen.

"It's the Boss," she whispered, "he's gonna absolutely—"

"Lemme talk to 'im, then," Butch growled, trying to grab the phone from her.

She swatted him away, saying, "If he wanted to talk to you, he would have called your phone! I'll be able to break it to him better than you could, anyway."

At this remark, Butch relented. Cassidy then cleared her throat, smiled, and picked up the phone.

"Hello, Boss!" she said in her sweet phone voice, "We were just about to—"

I couldn't hear anything Giovanni was saying to her, but I could see her smile gradually fade as each second passed.

"Well, there have been some hiccups. Unfortunately, Mewtwo was not there when we arrived—"

The "What?!" was very audible from where I was sitting, and Cassidy flinched so hard that she almost dropped her phone.

"Yes, sir—"

Muffled angry noises. Each time Cassidy would open her mouth to address them, there were more.

"But . . . yes, but there is good news!" she interrupted finally, "Butch was at least able to capture the Pokémon Trainer that was protecting him."

There was a moment of silence, then Cassidy's eyes widened.

"Yes . . . yes, sir, I should have—"

Cassidy fell silent again, and a few moments later she took the phone off her face. Then she started searching her bag for something.

"What'd he say?" Butch asked eagerly.

"He was pretty pissed that we captured a child," she grumbled, shooting him a look.

"D'you reckon we just drop 'er off here, then?" he chuckled, looking down.

Cassidy was not amused.

"His orders were to treat her with care," she sighed regretfully, "But as a precaution . . ."

She found a handkerchief and started to move toward me, "I'm sure he wouldn't object to her being blindfolded. We don't want her seeing how we get into the hideout, do we?"

"No," I begged, shrinking away from her, "I can't even see outside from here—"

"Shut up," she snapped, "or I'll gag you as well."

When we finally touched down, I was actually more grateful than scared; anything was better than listening to Cassidy and Butch bicker for one second longer.

I heard the cabin door slide open.

"Let's go."

The short heels of Cassidy's boots clicked as she dropped onto a metal floor.

"You're not gonna make me carry 'er, are you?" Butch complained.

"Well how _else_ are we going to take her down there?"

"I don't wanna—"

"What, is she too heavy for you?" Cassidy asked condescendingly, "She's practically the size of your bicep!"

"Argh, fine, if it'll shut you up," Butch muttered.

I froze when I heard him start toward me

"One kick from you," he said, putting one arm under my legs and another behind my back, "and I'll have Sneasle drag you instead, got it?"

Having no desire to feel Sneasle's claws on my scalp again, I nodded stiffly and cooperated; the strong smell of cigarette smoke and mint gum made me tense up even more. I gasped when I felt him hop out of the chopper with me and started walking. We got into what sounded like an elevator and began descending.

Nobody said a word on the way down. As much as I wanted my blindfold off, I really did not want to have to look at Butch for however long I was going to be stuck in this position.

The elevator doors opened, and we stepped out and walked for about a minute before I could hear voices up ahead. They got louder until I sensed that we had entered some kind of atrium where the walls were further apart.

"Who's that?"

"Why's Butch carrying a kid?"

"Hey, did you two finally get hitched or something?" someone else joked.

"Is the Boss in?" I heard Cassidy ask tensely.

"Not yet," a man answered, "I don't think he'll be back for at least another hour. Who's this with you?"

"Not important. What room can we keep her in until he arrives?"

"Um . . . you can try the storage room near his office? Room S103?"

Storage_ room?!_

Cassidy turned and started walking, Butch followed her at a quick pace.

"Why're you going so—"

"I've got better things to do than babysitting two children," she snapped before he finished his sentence.

"What the hell's your problem today?!" Butch exclaimed, "Losing Mewtwo wasn't my fault, you were the one who tipped her off with that phone call!"

"It wasn't supposed to 'tip her off', it was to confirm that he was still there! I never gave us away."

I tried to tune them out, but it was nearly impossible. Eventually Butch stopped walking, and I heard the sound of a code being pressed followed by a door slid open.

"In you go," I heard Butch say before he placed me onto the floor.

"Can you at least—"

Without waiting for me to finish my sentence, Butch input the code again and the door slid shut

I sat there in silence for a moment before I used my feet and another solid object nearby to push myself up against the wall by the door. I felt my body finally begin to relax, and it was then that I began to cry.

A few minutes later, a light flicked on.

I gasped and stiffened again.

"H . . . Hello?" I sniffed.

There was no response

"Who's—"

Without warning, my blindfold appeared to have vanished. I stopped crying in surprise and looked around the dimly lit room; I really was in a storage closet. There was a mix of supplies, from Pokéballs to shirts to cleaning materials. But nothing that I could see would help me escape.

It was then that I heard feet coming down the hallway.

I was still confused when the door opened again, and a boy that looked to be a few years older than myself entered. He looked tall since I was on the floor and his uniform was almost too short for him, but his face was young; I guessed that he was at most two years older than myself.

He walked toward me and commanded, "Get up and follow me."

"I . . . can't—"

When he saw that my hands and feet were tied together, his hand flew to his belt and flipped a sharp, silver blade out of the knife's hilt. My first instinct was to get away, but that wasn't possible.

"Stop moving for a sec, will ya?"

He practically held me down to cut the rope binding me, after which he hauled me to my feet and the turned back toward the door. Before he could start walking, I ran full speed past him and out into the hallway. I stopped and blinked, surprised that I'd gotten away.

But after he jumped on me and pinned me to the wall I was facing, I knew escape was not an option at this time.

"Hey, don't try that again!" he threatened.

I didn't answer him. He pulled me away from the wall and kept a firm grip on my arm, forcing me to walk next to him. I was led through a bunch of hallways, looking around as I tried to memorize where certain rooms were; we passed a lab, a nap room, and a bathroom.

_ You've gotten out of a hideout before, you can do it again, _I tried to reassure myself.

After turning a corner, the kid knocked on the biggest door I've seen there. I looked at the label on the door, the name that was engraved read:

Giovanni

Team Rocket Chairman

I suddenly felt nauseous, and my legs buckled slightly; what was going to happen once I entered this room? The kid roughly pulled me up once more and pressed a card to a scanner next to the door. A deep, familiar voice sounded through a speaker above the scanner:

"Come in."

There was a loud buzzing as the door opened, and I was pulled inside.

It was a spacious office; there was a broad, flat screen TV at one end of the room, a couch at another end, a huge desk near the back wall with a tiny chair in front of it, and a gigantic chair behind the desk where Giovanni sat. He was stroking a rather large Persian, who glared in my direction and growled quietly. Giovanni followed her gaze, and his dark eyes widened in mild surprise when he saw me.

"You again?"


	29. Chapter 29

**Chapter 29**

We were back in Pallet Town in a matter of moments, but I calculated that approximately twenty hours passed since I first stormed out of Lilly's house.

My head was beginning to ache just anticipating what was about to transpire. I could foresee the exact events without looking into the future at all: Ash would enter the house first, Lilly would see him there with me and probably start crying again while making up some excuse for the things she said to me, and he would expect me to just accept her apology and move on as if nothing happened.

But even as I was playing out that scenario in my mind, the faintest sense of unease was beginning to come over me. The weather was warm, yet the neighborhood was eerily still with the exception of a faint, cool breeze that signaled the very beginning of autumn. There were no children playing with their family's Pokémon outside like I usually heard from the confines of the house.

As we drew nearer, I began to pick up the faint sound of a woman crying nearby. It only unsettled me further; I tried to ignore it by thinking about what Ash said earlier about not carefully considering the situation. There was absolutely no mistaking Lilly's intent; it was clear that she wanted to sell me back to Team Rocket. And hypothetically, if there was some kind of mistake, what then? Why would I go back to remaining in that house after all of the stress she caused Ash and me?

_Even if that were the case, _I thought to myself,_ even if this was a misunderstanding, she would not allow me to come back. Not after the way I reacted._

"Mewtwo? Are you coming?" I vaguely heard Ash ask.

I looked up and realized that I had stopped moving forward. He was looking at me expectantly over his shoulder, his eyes weary of any tricks I might pull to get out of going back to the house with him.

"That was a trick question, of course you're coming," he said, not waiting for me to answer.

I sighed before following him once again.

As we drew nearer to the house, the woman's crying grew louder. Ash stopped dead in his tracks when his weaker human ears finally picked up the sound.

"What is it?" I asked, stopping next to him.

He did not turn to look at me but continued to stare straight ahead, listening intently. Without answering my question, he took off running toward Lilly's house. I levitated closely behind and read his mind:

_That's my Mom! Something serious must have happened, I knew it—_

_ Stop thinking like that, we do not know what happened, _I said to him.

He was too deep in his thoughts to listen to me; I had to stop reading them for my own sanity. I was able to keep myself in a calm frame of mind right up until we turned the corner to Lilly's street.

Sure enough, there was a woman weeping several feet away from the front door. In spite of her hands covering her face and having seen her only a handful of times, I recognized the woman as Ash's mother immediately from her brown hair that was pulled back into a ponytail. Her Mr. Mime was standing by her side, looking as though he was at a total loss.

_She must have thought the Rockets took me, that must be what drove her to tears, _I told myself.

I flew ahead of Ash and Pikachu to see if Lilly happened to be there with her. When I arrived in front of the house and opened my mouth to ask her what happened, something caught my eye and distracted me. I turned toward the house and stared at the sight of the front door on the ground.

_Strange, I do not recall it falling off the hinges. It must have happened when she left the house._

Stranger yet was the yellow plastic that was taped over the door frame in an X shape. On the yellow the word "caution" was printed repeatedly. I had not seen it before, so I didn't know what it meant. Mr. Mime gently tugged at Mrs. Ketchum's denim pants when he saw me coming, but she ignored him.

"Whatever happened here?" I quickly asked, pretending to be completely baffled by what I was seeing.

Ash's mother looked up when she heard me speak. Her eyes were red from crying, but her expression changed dramatically when she recognized who was addressing her. I did not have time to get a good look at the house before she demanded my attention.

"Mewtwo!" she bristled.

I flinched, not expecting to hear the anger that boiled in her voice.

She took a step in my direction and asked, "Wh-Where on Earth have you been?"

I had heard her use a stern voice with Ash before, but never in my life has someone used a voice filled with a much anger and pain toward me as hers was in that moment.

"I . . . I was with Ashton just now," I replied, still recovering from the hostile voice she used toward me.

Ash finally appeared just in time to save me from her wrath, walking past me and toward his distressed mother.

"What's going on, Mom?" he huffed, out of breath.

"Oh, Ash!" she sobbed, flinging her arms around her only son.

"Tell us what happened," I demanded.

She let go of Ash and faced me again.

"It . . . it's terrible! The house is a complete wreck!"

I averted my eyes for a moment, knowing that it was entirely my fault that the house was in the state it was in.

"T-Team Rocket—"

But I was not expecting her to say that.

"Team Rocket was here?" I asked, looking at her again.

"Yes! They came here and . . . and . . ."

She was not able to finish her sentence. I began to fill in the blanks myself, my pulse quickening with each passing second.

_No, impossible. They would not have—_

"Where is Lilly?" I asked quietly, trying to keep my thoughts under control.

"The police . . . went back to the station to begin an investigation . . ."

_The police?!_

"_Where_ is she? Was there a battle? Is she safe?" I asked, unable to disguise the urgency in my voice.

"Th- . . . The police think they think they took her . . . she's not in the house or the neighborhood."

"What?!" Ash shouted.

I felt my eyes widen and a sense of dread creep over me.

_That could not have happened. She had her Pokémon with her . . . right? She must have protected herself with them, they would not have been able to defeat her and her team . . ._

Mrs. Ketchum was weeping too much to continue her explanation, but that did not stop me from asking her further questions.

"But how can they be certain? Perhaps she was gone when they broke into the house?" I asked in an effort to get more information out of her.

"Maybe she left with a Pokémon . . . and she's coming back later," Ash added hopefully.

Mrs. Ketchum quickly shook her head "no" and wiped her eyes.

"Her training bag . . . she l-left it over there . . . the police said there might be fingerprints," she replied, gesturing toward the doorway.

I looked in that direction once more and finally noticed it; the grey bag that Lilly used to carry her training supplies was slumped behind a potted plant near the front door. "I will check for her Pokémon," I said, summoning the bag toward me before she had time to protest.

I unzipped it with my power as Ash began to say, "I messaged her on her Pokénav right before dinner yesterday, but she seemed kind of busy with something."

I scarcely heard him. I had no sooner opened the bag when I nearly dropped it in surprise. The very first things on top of her belongings were the flowers that I brought from Hoenn, some of them broken from my earlier fit of rage. _She . . . meant to take these with her?_

Luckily, everybody was too preoccupied to notice my reaction. I teleported them somewhere and began to levitate other things out of the duffel, hoping to find some sort of clue among her belongings. "Yes, you mentioned that earlier," I finally responded to Ash, "Can you elaborate further? What do you mean by 'kind of busy'?"

"She just told me not to message her, and that she was busy . . ."

Ash's eyes widened, "That must have had something to do with it! And then she never responded to messages I sent after that . . ."

Mrs. Ketchum looked up, having realized something.

"I . . . thought I heard loud engines yesterday . . ." She started crying again as she choked out, "but I didn't think anything of them!"

Ash tried to console his hysterical mother as I continued to fish about Lilly's possessions. I sensed that nobody had touched the pack for several hours as I tossed empty Pokéballs, berries, and some clothes onto the grass below. "Wait . . . why would Lilly have clothes in her bag?" Ash asked quietly, acknowledging the small bundle of clothing lying on the ground.

"What?" I asked absentmindedly, still rummaging through the bag.

"Lilly _never _packs clothes when she goes training. She comes home every night because she wanted to keep you hidden, you know that," Ash said a little louder.

"Well, she did not have to look after me any longer since I left," I muttered.

"But look at them, those clothes don't even match," he insisted, "it's like . . . she was in a rush or something, right?"

I ignored him, vainly trying to shut out the concerns that were beginning to set in.

"Mewtwo, why did you leave Lilly?" Ash's mother asked a second time.

"She intended to sell me back to Team Rocket."

I said this as though she asked me how the weather was in Hoenn, though I was beginning to feel nauseated by the evidence and the narrative that was being presented to me.

"What? But she hates Team Rocket! She would never allow them to take any of her Pokémon."

"That's what I said, it doesn't make sense!" Ash blurted out.

While those two were discussing my response, I could no longer ignore the questions that were being formed in my own head.

_Why did Lilly pack a bag full of provisions, then leave it outside for hours?_

After I drew out yet another shirt, it was then that I saw it. I did not know what they were at that moment, but that was when I experienced what humans call "goosebumps" for the first time.

"Mewtwo?" Ash asked, startled by my expression.

I did not respond right away, but eventually I pulled the small picture frame out of the bag for him to see. Ash's face grew pale when he realized what the photo was.

"That . . . that isn't . . ."

"It's the only photo Lilly has of her parents," I said quietly, still looking at it.

Ash took it out of the air and stared at it.

"I knew she had one, but . . . I've never seen it before," he said in a voice barely louder than a whisper.

I was afraid to keep going through the bag, though at that point there was not much left to remove from it. I came across more Pokéballs and immediately knew that there were Pokémon inside them.

I levitated them and released the Pokémon all at once. As soon as they appeared, my fears were confirmed.

It was Lilly's primary team.


	30. Chapter 30

Chapter 30

"You really mean to tell me that you were the one protecting Mewtwo for all these months?"

I didn't respond, keeping my eyes locked on the ground.

"He asked you a question!" Kyle said through his teeth as he jolted me roughly.

"That's enough."

I was startled by the ice in Giovanni's voice when he spoke to Kyle, who looked back at Giovanni like a child who had been slapped for the first time.

"Sir?" Kyle asked, unsure of what to do.

"I don't know who gave you permission to behave that way toward other children, but it won't be tolerated. Furthermore, she's a Champion of this region and Hoenn, so you will treat her with respect," he continued, his voice still hard.

Kyle's jaw dropped at the word "Champion."

"Y-Yes, sir," Kyle managed to say.

After glaring at Kyle for a moment longer, Giovanni sighed and drummed his fingers on his desk. Then he fixed his gaze on me, and after a moment I noticed his eyes widen in surprise before narrowing again.

"Kyle, why is the right side of her face bruised?" he asked quietly.

"I . . . I don't know, sir, it wasn't—"

"Find Butch," he cut him off, his voice becoming even more tense, "tell him to come to the office immediately."

Kyle bowed his head slightly and walked out of the office, the door sliding closed behind him. Giovanni massaged the bridge of his nose and muttered something under his breath that I couldn't quite make out.

"Why am I not surprised?" he addressed me finally, "You really are willing to do anything to oppose Team Rocket, aren't you?"

At these words he beckoned to a seat in front of the desk, but I couldn't take a single step. I stood by the door with my arms wrapped around myself, my heart still fluttering like a Butterfree's wings.

"Stop being difficult, I'm not going to do anything to you," he sighed, "This is all a misunderstanding; had I known that you were the trainer they suspected, I would have come to meet you myself."

I still said nothing, not reassured at all by his words.

"All I want is some information on Mewtwo's whereabouts. Once we get that, we can send you back home and you can forget all about this nonsense. Sounds like a fair trade, right?"

"I don't know where he went," I replied finally, my voice hardly louder than a whisper.

"I know when you're lying to me."

"I'm not lying!"

I was surprised at myself when I finally exploded, but I did not lower my voice when I added, "He really did leave!"

"But not because it wanted to, is that correct?" he asked as his Persian hissed, hopping off his lap and curling up on the couch.

"He— . . . yes, he did."

I wanted to kick myself for hesitating.

"You're lying again," he rose from his chair.

"I really don't know where he went, he didn't tell me. But even he did, I . . . I'd never tell you, no matter how nice you act!" I backed against the wall, fear creeping up on me again like a Spinarak.

"Why is that?" Giovanni asked this as took a step toward me.

"I don't want . . . you can't—"

"Mewtwo's life is not yours to decide, it belongs to us. You realized that you stole our property when you captured him, didn't you?"

"But I don't—"

"Now that I think about it, it is rather ironic. Usually, we are the ones stealing Pokémon, but how the tables have turned! I ought to report you to the authorities myself," he laughed.

"He doesn't deserve to live like this, no Pokémon does! He . . . his abilities are wasted on Team Rocket!"

"Wasted, you say? I know you are a child, but I cannot possibly make this any simpler to understand. Mewtwo was designed_ for_ Team Rocket to conquer and dominate, it's all he knows!"

"You're wrong," I said earnestly, "there is much more to him than that."

"Don't be silly," he brushed me off again, "all of its actions are all based on one of two things: the desire to be the most powerful, or the fear of not appearing that way."

"That isn't true anymore!" I shouted in frustration.

Giovanni's face contorted for a moment, then he really started laughing.

"You . . . you think that he actually _changed_ during the few months he spent with you? Come now, you're deluding yourself!" he said, wiping his eyes.

I was infuriated by this response.

"I don't think so, I know so!" I said stubbornly.

"You do realize that he doesn't care for you. You were just a bodyguard to him," he said, folding his hands together.

"But . . . he did! He said . . ."

I faltered, practically choking on the words that were on my tongue.

_ Why am I telling him this? He doesn't deserve to know._

"Said what? What did he say to you?"

"He . . . he said . . ."

Still chuckling, Giovanni asked, "Has it occurred to you that Mewtwo could have been trying to win your trust? That it knew exactly what to say to manipulate you into believing those things? Or perhaps it even forced you to think that way."

I opened my mouth to shout back, but I closed it again. He could have been right, but I did not want to believe a word he was saying.

"We have never seen him do it," he continued, "but controlling the minds of humans is something he would be more than capable of doing. And you would have no idea, even after it happened. Mewtwo is a dangerous being, it was foolish of you to allow it into your home."

I knew he was wrong, but I was still becoming nauseous at the thought of that happening.

"What I am saying is, since it's a tool that operates on fear, it is incapable of things like—"

"I know," I mumbled, looking at my shoes.

"But . . . he did care about me!"

I glared at Giovanni again as I said, "He listened to me, and he believed in me. He deserves to be his own Pokémon and live freely, not stifled here."

Giovanni sighed in disappointment.

"Very well," he said finally, turning back and walking toward his desk, "you can go."

I had another retort ready for him, but I choked on it when he said those words.

"Wait . . . really?"

"Yes, you're completely useless to us," Giovanni affirmed without hesitation.

His hand hovered over a big green button for a moment, "I'll have another chopper take you back to Pallet, though I am surprised you don't have your—"

Before he could finish his sentence, the door to the office slid open without warning.

"Boss!"

I flinched where I stood; it was Butch's voice.

"Butch," Giovanni practically growled, clearly annoyed at his subordinate, "did you hit this child?"

Butch swore under his breath, but only I heard him, before he fully stepped into the room as the door slid shut behind him.

"I . . . yes, she was talking back—"

Giovanni withdrew his hand, walked around his desk, and approached Butch. Though Butch was at least several inches taller than Giovanni, he nervously took a step back.

"You're _scum_ if you strike a child," Giovanni practically spat the word at him, "I don't care _what_ she said to you. Team Rocket takes what belongs to us and exploits Pokémon, but we do not strike children. You're an embarrassment to this organization."

"But Boss, you've got to—"

"If this isn't news about Mewtwo, you're fired. No questions asked. Do I make myself clear?"

Butch was silent for a moment. I did not realize that I was holding my breath until he spoke again.

"I've got some . . . sensitive information for you, sir. I don't think you want me discussing it in front of the little miss," he said, almost as if he was holding back a laugh.

Giovanni sighed and rubbed his temples, then said, "Lilly, have a seat. Persian, keep an eye on her. This won't take long."

He stepped out from behind his desk and went to the back of the room, placing his hand on a dark square on the wall. A secret door slid open, and he stepped inside with Butch behind him.

I hesitantly sat down in the chair in front of his desk, doing my best to avoid eye contact with the Persian that kept its gaze locked on me. I knew there was nothing I could say to that Pokémon to make her help me escape; she was going to be loyal to Giovanni no matter what.

Suddenly, a noise that sounded like laughter erupted from the room behind the door; it made me jump in my seat. After they calmed down, the two men stepped out of the room with smirks on their faces.

"Excellent work, Butch," Giovanni said, clapping him on the back, "you've really outdone yourself on this mission."

"Much appreciated, Boss," Butch said, beaming with excitement.

I had a million questions; clearly it was about Mewtwo since he wasn't firing him.

"You may go, alert the others."

I felt my pulse begin to quicken when he said that.

"Alert the others about what?" I asked after Butch stepped out of the room again.

He walked back toward his desk and sat down again, eyeing me thoughtfully.

"There has been a slight change of plans," he said, ignoring my question and folding his hands together, "we will need more information on Mewtwo, as much as you can provide. You will remain here in the hideout until something comes to mind."

_What?!_

"Wait, I really don't know anything! You can't do this—"

"Oh, but I can, especially since you appear to have left your Pokémon at home," he said smugly.

"You can't keep me here! The police will come for me; you'll definitely regret this!" I cried.

"Is that so?"

Giovanni fixed his gaze toward me, and I was paralyzed.

"No one outside of Team Rocket has discovered this hideout since its creation, so the odds of that happening are pretty low. But there really is no reason for you to worry about your safety . . . as long as you comply, that is."

Eyes still on me, Giovanni extended a hand toward his desk and pushed the green button.

"You can go home after I have some information related to the whereabouts of Mewtwo."

There was a loud 'ding' before he said in a businesslike voice, "Grunt Kyle, come to my office."

It was only in a matter of seconds before there was a ding from the door outside. Giovanni opened it with the push of a different button, and Kyle walked in asking, "What is my assignment, sir?"

"Ah, see?"

Giovanni smiled and walked toward the young boy. He then proudly patted his shoulder and said, "_This _is a model Rocket. Why can't they all be like you, Kyle?"

"Thank you, sir," Kyle said in a voice full of reverence.

"Keep it up, your faithfulness will be rewarded one day."

Kyle stood there, glowing like a Sunflora. I had to stop myself from rolling my eyes.

"Take Lilly to Room One Twenty-Four," Giovanni sat back in his big chair and tossed Kyle a shiny plastic card.

The grunt's face went from proud to shocked in a millisecond.

"R-Room One Twenty-Four?" Kyle repeated, his eyes widening as he clumsily caught the card.

"Is there a problem?"

"No sir, I'll take her there!" Kyle said determinedly.

"Off you go, then."

Kyle grabbed hold of my arm and quickly led me out of the room. As soon as the door slid shut behind us, I yanked my arm out of his grip.

"I'm perfectly capable of following you without your help, thanks."

"Hmph" was all he said.

Kyle walked down the hallway at a quick pace; I almost had to jog to keep up with him.

"What's wrong with room One Twenty-Four?" I huffed.

"Nothing," he muttered.

"Then why were you surprised when he said to take me there?"

"Just shut up and walk!"

I fell silent, but a moment later he blurted out, "Room One Twenty-Four is our best guest room!"

"O-Oh—"

"Why's he giving it to some stupid little girl like you? He should give it to his most loyal Rocket!" he shouted angrily, kicking a door he was passing.

"I look like a stupid little girl, but I _am_ a reigning Champion," I shot back.

"Champion or not, you're nothing without your Pokémon," Kyle sneered.

He finally stopped in front of a slightly ornate steel door, whose nameplate read "Room 124". He held the card up to the door and it slid open. Then he grabbed my arm again and pulled me inside.

The room seemed about as basic as the one I made for Mewtwo at my house. The only real differences were the stainless-steel walls and floor, and a small black carpet on the left side of the bed.

I couldn't help but wonder what everyone else was living in if this was considered the "best guest room" in the facility.

"This is it, huh?" I asked, looking around.

"You get a rug and a queen-sized bed! Were you expecting a palace? Be grateful that you're getting this much!" he scoffed, shoving me full force inside.

I fell onto the bed as he backed out of the room, the door clicking as it slid out of the wall and locked.

"Let me out!" I screamed, getting up and hurling myself at the door.

Nobody answered. I pounded at the door with my fists, screaming at the top of my lungs. It was only when my hands began to hurt that I stopped and fell to the floor, sobbing uncontrollably.

At this point, my Pokémon were probably still in their Pokéballs, unaware that I was gone. And Mewtwo . . . he probably went to Ash. I sobbed harder when I thought of him.

But then it occurred to me: what would happen when Mewtwo told Ash about how I told him to go?  
The thought made me stop crying.

_How did I not think that far?!_

I almost kicked myself for not thinking of this ahead of time. If Ash found out that I had told Mewtwo to leave . . . he would absolutely be confused. Then he would probably drag Mewtwo back to the house, discover the wreck that he and the Rocket Butch left . . .

_I'm sure Mewtwo won't get involved, _I tried to reassure myself, _and maybe . . .the police are already looking for me if he went back home to investigate for himself._

I was slightly cheered by the thought.

Feeling too exhausted to do anything else, I picked myself up off the floor, lumbered over to the bed, and was asleep as soon as my head hit the hard, cold pillow.


	31. Chapter 31

I have a busy day tomorrow, so I'm uploading this now. Enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter 31**

I dropped all their Pokéballs and the bag to the ground in surprise.

"_Hm? Where did the clouds go?_" Togekiss asked innocently, blinking in the light as he looked up at the sky.

The Pokémon seemed shocked to see that it was nearly twilight outside, and they looked even more bewildered when they finally noticed the four of us standing nearby. We all stared at each other in shock for a moment.

Just as I was about to ask where Lilly was, Gyarados locked eyes with me. By then, I had already used to her temper; when she reared her head and growled fiercely at me, I was not frightened. But I was surprised by the speed at which she encircled her body around mine. Mrs. Ketchum gasped and took a few steps away in fear, but I did not even feel the need to teleport to safety.

"_You have the _nerve _to come back here? After what you did to Lilly_?"

I glared back at her defiantly but said nothing in response.

"_We heard everything you did, you _monster_," _Ninetails added, spitting blue flames out in her anger.

_ "I should rip your face off right now!_" Gyarados roared, bringing her massive jaws close and baring her knife-sharp teeth.

I was too preoccupied to even flinch at her threat.

"You can both take turns ripping my heart out later, for all I care," I said dismissively, "but right now there are more important matters to attend to; if you can restrain your temper for long enough, that is."

"_You're one to talk_," Arbok hissed, coming to Gyarados' side.

I closed my eyes for a moment, channeling every ounce of my patience to not throw Arbok into the side of the house. Gyarados sensed that I was exercising self-control and backed away. I addressed her the rest of the team by looking around silently for a moment before I spoke again.

"One of you needs to tell me where she fled to, this instant," I demanded, my voice quiet.

From the looks of shock that reflected on their faces, this was clearly not what they were expecting me to say at all.

Togekiss was the one who finally piped up nervously, "_Fled? Lilly didn't—_"

Even as he was responding, I was quickly growing frustrated because all of their thoughts were too confused for me to read clearly for answers.

"This is not a time for games!" I growled through the din, "Tell me the truth, _now_."

For a moment Togekiss looked hurt about me growling at him, and I almost felt bad enough to apologize. But he shook it off and immediately went back to looking confused.

"_Wait . . . do you mean . . . she's really not here?_" Ampharos' eyes widened, looking toward Ash and his mother behind me.

I was equally not prepared for that response.

"No. She has been gone for several hours, at the very least," I replied quietly.

They all simultaneously shouted "_What?!_" before exchanging anxious glances with each other.

"_The humans shouting earlier. . . "_

Ampharos looked wide-eyed toward Togekiss, _"You don't think that couldn't been—_"

"_The Rockets must have arrived early and taken her by force!_" Togekiss cried out abruptly, stunning them all into silence, _"It's the only explanation!"_

"_Imposssssible! This wasssn't part of the plan at all,_" Arbok hissed after a moment.

"_How could she have left us here?"_ Gyarados roared, beside herself,_ "We should be fighting by her side right now, not sitting at the house!_"

"_Oh Togekiss, you were right," _Ninetails wailed, lowering her head as she began to cry,_ "This was far too risky, we should have stopped her!"_

I listened to their shrieks and gasps, utterly bewildered by what they were saying.

"Too risky? Just what do you mean by that?"

Ninetails looked in my direction, her face contorted with emotion.

"_Lilly lied to you . . . sh-she knew—_"

"Yes, I already know that she lied," I said impatiently, "She was going to— "

"_No, _listen_ to me_," she snarled viciously, glaring at me through the tears in her eyes.

To my surprise, Ninetails pushed herself up onto her hind legs and put her paws on my chest so that she was at eye level with me. Her tails whipped about furtively as she began to explain what had come to pass.

"_Yesterday, Lilly had a vision that showed the Rockets taking you both by surprise—"_

"Wait, did you say a vision?" I interrupted.

"_That part isn't important, just listen! In her vision, you were unable to fight them off, and she wanted to protect you from that fate. She was supposed to write a letter that would convince you to leave for good, after which she was to flee with us. She had hoped that the house would be empty when the Rockets arrived, or at the very least you would be able to hear them coming if you arrived late. But . . . she was delayed a little too long._"

Her last words made my stomach drop. It was a few moments before I could respond.

"She . . . do you mean that she . . . only lied then?" I barely whispered.

Ninetails pushed herself off of me, anger still blazing in her gaze; clearly, she blamed me for what happened.

"_Yes, that was her only lie to you," _Togekiss confirmed, on the verge of tears himself,_ "Lilly thought it was necessary, to keep you from trying to fight the Rockets_,"

"But why . . . why would she go that far? What would possibly make her think—"

"_Are you deaf? How many times do you want us to repeat ourselves?" _Gyarados roared and slammed her tail into the ground, making Mrs. Ketchum jump.

_ "She didn't want them to take you! Lilly didn't want to tell you the truth because she knew you would try to fight them off!"_

"What are you talking about, Mewtwo? What are they saying?" Ash asked me, wide-eyed by the raucous exchange that was occurring in front of him.

"Exactly how many lies will you fabricate?" I growled back at Gyarados, "Lilly cannot see the future— "

"_You claim to have all this intelligence, and yet you're still really still this dense?_"

I looked for the speaker, and Ampharos was bristling as she approached me and continued_, "Weren't you the one who tried to force Lilly to use her powers? What reason would we have to lie to you about this?"_

I turned my glare at her, saying, "How can you expect me to trust— "

"_You met Arceus yourself! Isn't that proof enough of Lilly's intentions?" _Ninetails barked in frustration.

_ "Do you really believe that she would put Arceus in danger like this for some of Team Rocket's filthy money? Do you think WE as Pokémon would sacrifice our dignity to allow her to do something like this?!_"

"_Ninetailssssss, ssssave your breath_," Arbok hissed quietly.

She looked toward the rest of the team, composing herself enough to address them.

"_Right, we don't have any time to waste trying to convince him. She could be in great danger already."_

_ "We have to find her," _Togekiss agreed, "_Where should we start looking?_"

"Hey, Mewtwo, what are they— "

I ignored Ash once again and went into the house to look for evidence myself, teleporting through the "caution" tape blocking the doorway. I heard Mr. Mime and Pikachu talking eagerly behind me.

"Hey, wait a minute! It could be dangerous in there!" Ash called after me.

As I reappeared in the living room, I could not believe the scene that was waiting for me. The house was somehow more destroyed than when I left it several hours ago; draws were pulled out of their places, the kitchen table was overturned, and there were muddy boot prints and scratch marks covering the hardwood floor. The couch and countertops likewise had scratch marks on them. When I looked behind myself, I saw the TV had been knocked over, its glass screen shattered on the corner of the coffee table. I began to tremble as I took in the destruction around me, enraged by what I was seeing.

I looked up and my stomach seemed to bottom out even further; there was a bullet hole in the ceiling.

_Beep beep beep!_

I jumped and looked around, startled by the noise.

The beeping was heard again a few moments later, and I could tell that it was coming from upstairs. I teleported into her room and looked around for the source, but there was nothing that I could see.

_Beep beep beep!_

When I heard it that time, I knew it had to be coming from her Aunt's room.

Alighting on the floor, I walked in and looked around, but something else caught my eye first. I inhaled quickly when I realized there was blood on the wall by the other side of the bed, quickly flying over the bed to take a closer look. When I looked down at the floor, I noticed a few long black strands of her hair resting there.

"What did this?" I whispered aloud.

I alighted on the hardwood and knelt down to take a closer look. There were scratch marks present underneath the hair.

"A Pokémon?"

_Beep beep beep!_

The beeping came yet again, and I finally noticed the Pokénav lying on the pillow. A light on it was rapidly blinking red.

My heart racing, I levitated it and held the device in front of my face, reading the error message on the screen:

**Battery Low**

I tapped the "OK" button, and there was a new message that read:

**Memory full, cannot record**

I quickly cleared the second message, and the screen changed to a picture of Lilly's panicked face with a small triangle in a circle in the center and the text "Play Video".

I tapped the screen with my finger once more, and the video began.

**"My name is Lilly, and there is a member of Team Rocket in my house."**

I stood there and watched the video from the beginning, growing angrier as time went on. My stomach churned when the grunt threatened Lilly with the strange weapon. When I heard him slap her, I had to stop myself from teleporting to Azalea town immediately. I stared at the screen until the last of the helicopter engine faded away.

By the time the Pokénav died, I was sitting on the bed and clutching it so tightly in my hands that they went numb from the pressure. My breath was shallow as the sound of her screams continued to ring in my ears.

But somehow, echoing even louder was the last sentence she uttered before the Sneasle came:

_ "I love him so much."_

Deeply shaken by what I had seen, I forced myself to my feet and levitated the Pokénav next to me before teleporting back out of the house.

When I reappeared outside again, Ash's mother was standing nearby talking to a police officer on her cellphone, and Mr. Mime was miming his interpretation of what he thought happened to Lilly based on what he gathered from her team. Ash was talking with his Pikachu, who was also talking to Lilly's team, trying to make sense of what was happening.

"Here," I said blankly, levitating the Pokénav to Pikachu, "charge this quickly and give it to your trainer."

Pikachu did not waste any time; he pressed the Pokénav to one of his cheeks and it immediately woke up.

"Pika pii!" he called to Ash.

Ash took it from him as he asked, "Is this her— "

"Just . . . watch the video."

I walked toward Lilly's Pokémon again, unable to look any of them in the eye as I waited for Ash to see what I had seen. My body tensed violently, and Ninetails and Ampharos gasped when we heard Lilly's scream in protest. I heard Ash's mother talking fervently on the phone, watching over her son's shoulder in horror. I briefly manipulated her mind to not hear the location he demanded that I be brought to.

"Mewtwo," Ash finally said when he finished, his voice weak.

"Lilly knew that the Rockets were coming." I whispered, finally accepting the story that her Pokémon had told me, "However, I do not understand . . . how she could have been so foolish as to think this was the only way."

After a moment of stunned silence, I looked at Ash and said, "And I could have . . . if I had stayed here just a little longer, perhaps I could have stopped it."

Ash did not respond to me. He was still looking at the Pokénav, trying to fight back tears himself. It was one of the few times I had ever seen him cry.

I walked back toward him and said, "Ash, I will fix this."

Ash's mother, having hung with the police up moments before, averted her eyes as she nodded silently in agreement.

Ashton's eyes widened.

"No, Mewtwo, just leave it to the police! They'll be back any minute to help search for her! Right, Mom? They said to bring you to—"

I grabbed him by the shoulders and looked him dead in the eye.

"Do not, under any circumstances, tell the police about this video. In fact . . ."

I deleted the video before I even finished that thought. When Ash looked at the screen and saw what I had done, his eyes bugged out of his head.

"What'd you do that for?!" he yelled at me angrily, "We might have needed that later!"

"We will not. I have it in my head, I can share it at any time."

"The police already know that she's missing, why can't I tell them about the video? Don't we _want_ them to find her?"

"After seeing this, no, we do not want them to find her," I said sternly.

I turned, half talking to myself when I continued, "Though I have never ventured there myself, I have an idea of where they might be keeping her based on the location they wanted me brought to. It is perhaps their most secret operation in the Kanto Region; if the authorities somehow found this hideout, she will almost certainly be killed in retaliation."

"Then . . . then let me do it! I can get her with my Pokémon! Please don't go after her yourself Mewtwo, that's just what they want!" he cried desperately.

"No, he's right," his mother said firmly, "You're staying right here, young man."

"_Then we're coming with you_! _We want to help!_" Togekiss called from the sky.

Lilly's other Pokémon all grunted in agreement. I, however, was beginning to panic. The last thing I wanted was for anybody else to get involved; this was my fault in the first place.

"You all listen! This is what will happen," I growled as fiercely as I was able.

"I will leave Pallet town, _alone_, while the rest of you stay here and wait for us to come back. I will return here with Lilly within the next twelve hours. If for some reason I am not back by then . . ."

I turned to leave as I said, "then you may attempt to rescue her yourselves."

With those words hanging in the air, I turned and began to walk through Pallet Town, deciding which direction would be best to set off in. I could not teleport directly there, as I only knew the general location of the hideout.

Before I could get very far, I was abruptly stopped in my tracks when Ash yanked my tail back with all the force he had in his little body. I nearly turned around and growled at him, but instead took a deep breath and slowly levitated toward the sky in an attempt to get him to release me.

"Ash let go of him!" his mother called frantically.

"Mewtwo, stop! You don't know what you're doing!" Ash cried as I dragged him along.

I understood his anger, but I did not have time for it at that moment.

"I know exactly what I am doing. Let go of my tail, now," I said calmly.

"Then what is it?!" he shouted.

I stopped and swung my tail out of his grasp to face him, levitating him to my eye level. Tears were finally beginning to roll down his cheeks.

"I am saving the human who loved me, despite the monster that I am," I said firmly.

I placed him back on the ground, then teleported to Azalea before he could protest further.

To my imminent demise.

To Lilly.


	32. Chapter 32 (Plus Info)

Hello readers! Recently I got a review (ask? I don't remember) from a new reader that asked how Lilly was able to understand her Pokémon. As all of you who have read this far know, she has a peculiar bond with Arceus, who has essentially been with her since birth. I don't think I explicitly said this in the fic, but props to you all for just going with it. I guess that's just how fics work!

I have an explanation for this, but it's very meta (I think that's the right word) and as it hasn't really been explained to Lilly yet, I figured it was ok that you guys also don't understand. But in the future, I can type out a "prologue" if you do want an explanation! This becomes ESPECIALLY relevant in this chapter so I thought I'd just say it before you read.

Enjoy!

* * *

Chapter 32

_There was a sudden burst of light, so bright that I could not see anything for a moment._

_As my eyes adjusted and I looked around, I was bewildered by the drastic change in scene from the metal room. Wherever I was at the moment, there did not appear to be any walls, nor were there any shadows. Even when I looked at the ground under my feet, no darkness existed. Though it was perfectly quiet here, the air seemed to hum with energy, just like it had in the cave in Cerulean._

What is this place?

_As I took a few steps forward, flecks of other colors came into view against the white. A few steps in one direction and I could see shades of blue and green. I started walking in circles and reds and oranges appeared as well. Watching the colors interact together was breathtaking, and for a moment I was mystified rather than afraid._

_ "__Oh, you finally—!"_

_ "__Ack!"_

_I jumped, startled by the voice._

_ "__Who's there?" I asked, looking around for the speaker._

_A giggle, then it called out, "Behind you!"_

_I turned around again, but nobody was there._

_ "__Is this a dream?" I muttered to myself, pinching my cheeks in an effort to wake up._

_ "__No really, I'm here!" the voice sighed in disappointment, "You just can't see me."_

_After hearing her for the third time, I realized that the voice most likely belonged to a young girl._

_ "__Why can't I see you?" I asked, not understanding what was going on._

_ "__I dunno. I think it's because we've never met," she guessed, "but . . . I've been here for a while. And I'm gonna help you escape!"_

_ "__You?" I asked, bewildered, "How'd you even know I was trapped?"_

_ "__I told you, I've been here for a while," she repeated calmly._

_ "__What do you mean? Isn't this just a dream?"_

_ "__No, not at all," the voice said in reply._

_ "__Then, what is—"_

_ "__It was nice to finally meet you!" she called out suddenly, "You can do this!"_

_ "__Hey, wait—"_

I was startled awake by somebody shaking me roughly.

"Jeez, you sleep like a rock," a boy's voice said irritably.

I blinked the sleep out of my eyes and saw the thin face of Kyle glowering back at me. I gasped, shocked that I had actually fallen asleep.

"Chow," he grunted, tossing something onto the bed with a clatter.

I sat up and saw that it was a lunch tray with eggs, bacon, potatoes, and even a couple of oran berries. He even remembered to include utensils.

"What time . . . how long has it been?" I asked, looking around in mild panic.

"Do I look like a clock? I wasn't keeping track," Kyle answered, rolling his eyes.

"You don't even have a watch?" I asked desperately.

"Don't ask me questions, just eat!"

Although I probably needed food, I was too unsettled by the strange dream I had to eat. I ignored the tray sitting on the bed and said to him, "I'm not hungry right now."

"What? Be grateful that the Boss is feeding you, prisoner!" he leered.

"I'm tired of you telling me to be grateful for things I didn't ask for!" I shot back, "I'll be grateful when Giovanni finally disbands Team Rocket, like he said he was going to!"

This was not what the boy wanted to hear. He grabbed the fork, stuck a piece of potato on it, and held it in my face.

"Eat the damn food!" he exploded finally, "I didn't bring it all the way here for nothing!"

"Stop swearing at me, we're practically the same age!"

I shoved the tray of food toward him and turned away.

"You eat it. Maybe it'll put some meat on those bones of yours."

I felt his glare on the back of my head, but he took the tray with him as he left the room. After I heard the door close again, I folded my arms across my chest and got out of the bed.

"Was that a dream? Or a vision?" I asked myself, scratching my head in confusion.

Visions came much less frequently than dreams. In fact, aside from my most recent one, the last vision I had was back when I lived in Hoenn. I considered the two for a moment before deciding that it could not have been a vision after all, as I was not touching anything at the time. My visions happen when I make contact with something, or someone, that is in the vision itself. The one from the day that the Rockets came was an anomaly; at that time, I was not touching anything except the kitchen phone.

And that invisible girl said she would help me escape, who was she? Did I know her? I tried to think about whether I knew that voice from anywhere, but it was the first time I had ever heard it.

"I don't have time for this," I sighed in frustration, sitting down on the bed again, "it was just a dream, after all. I have to get myself out of this mess."

I knew the first thing I had to do was escape from that room, but I ignored that step for the time being and tried to think of what I would do once I was out. Would I have to figure out how leave the hideout myself? Did anybody even know I was missing yet? What have my Pokémon been doing all this time?

_They must know something is up by now . . . right?_

I thought of Ash, too. Did he know I was missing yet?

The more I considered what could go wrong if he or my team showed up at the hideout, the more certain I was that I had to leave before anybody back home knew I was gone. If Ash or my Pokémon came, they would probably just be captured, too.

Guilt rose inside me at the thought of leaving them in my bag with no explanation. But it did not compare to the guilt I felt for hurting Mewtwo with the lie I told. I felt myself become nauseous just remembering the look on his face when I came down the stairs, how he pinned me against the wall and screamed at me in fury with his eyes flashing blue. I had never seen him that angry before. Even during our first battle when he tried to eliminate me and my Pokémon, he was more composed.

The skin on my throat prickled where he held the glass to it.

"It was for his own good!" I yelled for the sake of hearing myself, "And besides, they'll never find him now."

I flung myself down into a corner of the room and curled into a ball, trying to calm myself down.

"But . . . why?"

I sniffed and wiped the tears that were starting to slide down my face again.

"Why did things have to end up like this?" I whispered to my knees.

_My word, when will you cease wallowing in self-pity? You look pathetic._

I gasped when I heard Arceus' voice.

"Arceus?" I whispered, looking around the room as if he would be standing there, "Is that you?"

_Why are we still here? You have made your way through these places before, yes?_

"Yeah, but I had Pokémon then."

_You are without your Pokémon?_

It sounded less than pleased.

"But it's okay, because now you're here," I said, excitement brimming in my voice, "we'll be out in no time if you give me the power to bust down the door! Or even teleport home!"

_Communicating with you alone takes a lot of energy that I cannot be wasting. Secondly, do you want to reveal our true nature to those who have the power to destroy us? Don't be ridiculous._

That response completely snuffed out whatever hope I had of leaving on my own.

"I hope people don't actually pray to you, you're just as useless as I am right now!" I muttered under my breath.

_You don't mean that. I am doing what is in our best interest._

"But what am _I_ supposed to do?!" I cried out in frustration, "I'm locked in this room all by myself!"

_You are not alone._

"Well, you're certainly not going to help me," I huffed, "Am I supposed to make friends with one of the Rockets?"

He did not answer me after I asked that question. I groaned and put my back against the wall, asking again, "You're really not going to help me out here at all?"

Suddenly, there was a strange weight in the air, and a much higher voice repeated:

_You're not alone._

". . . Arceus?" I asked nervously, getting to my feet.

There was no response. Before I could call for Arceus again, my chest started glowing faintly. I looked down and realized it was my Opal. Mystified, I held it up to my face. The light radiating from it was dim, but it was quite beautiful.

Not a moment passed before my vision grew blurry.

"No, not again," I groaned, stumbling toward the bed.

Everything went black, and the flash of white started the vision.

_I was flying at a speed I had never flown before, my eyes carefully scanning the vast mountain ridge in front of me. I was searching for . . ._

Ah, now I hear it.

_I flew ahead at an even quicker pace. I found what I was looking for just around the other side of the ridge, a mighty waterfall. It came over the cliff's edge swiftly and pummeled the rocks below, along with anyone foolish enough to get close enough to it. After surveying the area one last time, everything around me turned purple. The pounding water was deafening as I passed through, but I was somehow unscathed. Once I was inside the purple vanished, and I quickly moved deeper and deeper into the cavern. Several hundred yards later, there was a single Rocket grunt with a large weapon standing at the end of the cave._

I need to get past him without alerting anybody, but . . . how?

_Suddenly, a rock hurled itself from the face of the wall to the other wall. The guard jumped in surprise and shot at it. A second one was moved in front of another part of the wall. The guard shot at that one as well, but the rock moved again, and his bullets hit the wall instead. The wall where the bullets landed sparked and explode, sending up a plume of smoke. The guard began shouting some very bad words, glancing around fearfully and re-loading his gun._

_Before I could think of what to do next, the man was tossed to the side like a ragdoll. He hit his head on the wall and fell silent. I alighted on the ground. Still looking about furtively for anybody who might have seen what had just happened, I used my power to open the hidden door that no longer worked correctly._

As soon as the door opened, the scream went dark.

I was still standing on my feet when I could see the room again, but I quickly became lightheaded and had to grab the bed for support. I touched my hair with my free hand, half expecting it to be windblown from how fast I seemed to be moving. Until that moment, I had never experienced a vision from anyone else's eyes but my own.

_What was that about?_

There was no doubt in my mind that it was a Pokémon's perspective, no human trainer could move that smoothly while riding on top of a Pokémon. Though I did not catch a glimpse of the Pokémon itself, I knew I had seen everything turn purple like that somewhere before. And it flew through that waterfall like it was nothing, which meant that it was either a powerful Flying/Water Type combination, or it was able to . . .

I pounded my fist into my palm.

"Of course, it protected itself with a shield!"

But when I tried to think of all the Pokémon who could protect themselves like that, the only one that came to mind was . . .

_No, it couldn't have been him._

I shook my head at the thought. He was no coward, but Mewtwo would never do something as reckless as entering a Team Rocket hideout for any reason.

As I was deep in thought, I noticed that there was a strange light pouring into the room. I looked toward the entrance and gasped in surprise: the door to my cell was open.

"Hello?" I asked nervously, taking a step back.

There was no response. Whoever opened the door was no longer standing there.

I finally noticed the light of my Opal, which was still glowing faintly on my chest. I wrapped one of my hands around the gem, reassured by its warmth as I looked out into the hallway once more.

"Did you . . . or . . . did I—"

_It's now or never_, Arceus' voice sounded inside my head again, impatient as ever.

I took a deep breath and closed my eyes, trying to put those questions out of my head for now.

"Okay, here we go," I said in reply, moving toward the doorway.


	33. Chapter 33

I hope you're all healthy and safe during this coronavirus mess!

* * *

Chapter 33

When I teleported, I could only go as far as Azalea Town. Upon arriving there I expected to come across at least one or two grunts as the video suggested, perhaps disguised as civilians. But out of the several minds that I quickly searched, I could not find any. As I reflect upon this now, I realize that should have been my first warning.

I only ever heard rumors about this hideout and did not know exactly it was located, but I was confident that I could find it quickly by detecting the energy source. As a precaution, I remained invisible for the entirety of the journey. I could not be certain that there were no spies out in the forest, keeping watch for my arrival.

I was free of second thoughts about infiltrating the hideout up until the moment I discovered it, one entrance neatly concealed behind a waterfall in the mountains nearby. My pulse skyrocketed, and the pit in my stomach from earlier returned as I stared at the wall of water crashing down from afar. It was all I could do to remain calm, knowing that I was about to enter the very last place I should be going.

_ Pull yourself together_, I thought, trying to snap myself out of it.

_ Too much time has been lost already._

I took a deeper, though unsteady, breath and continued onward.

As I approached, I could sense that this was not an ordinary waterfall. No human would have been foolish enough to venture through it without assistance from a powerful Pokémon. Not only was the water coming down faster and harder than any storm I could create, but I spotted manmade spikes just under the surface of the water below, waiting to ensnare anyone who was careless enough to attempt to cross it.

I shrouded myself with a force field and soared through the falls, but once across I quickly extinguished it in order to remain undetected. Still wary of my surroundings, I silently drifted through the cavern as I searched for an entrance to the innermost part of the facility.

It was not until a minute later that I reached the end of the tunnel, where there was a landing pad for a helicopter. Near the flat surface, a Rocket stood watching for intruders as he lazily shifted an automatic weapon from hand to hand. He was a middle-aged man, leaning against the rock wall with a sour expression etched into his face.

"This is so pointless," he grumbled to himself, "it's not like anyone can get through that waterfall, anyway."

I paid no attention to the rest of his complaining. The first thing I did was locate and freeze the image on any cameras I could find in the room. Then I slipped past the guard and searched for the entrance that he was supposed to be guarding, which was located on his left side. After trying to slide open it with telekinesis to no avail, I recognized that it needed some sort of key. Turning back to the male I searched his mind to see if he had one, only to be left disappointed.

I mulled over what to do next, examining my surroundings and the weapon he held.

_Well, it's worth a shot._

Remaining unseen, I raised my arm and noisily removed a rock protruding from the wall across the room. Alarmed by the floating rock, the guard reacted just as I hoped he would and fired an entire round at it. Dodging his haywire bullets without a forcefield proved to be a difficult task. It became increasingly obvious that this man had likely never touched, let alone fired, a weapon in his life.

While he was figuring out how to reload it, I searched for the part of the door that accepted the key and moved the boulder next to it. The guard fumbled for his gun and began to shoot at the rock again, this time hitting the lock. It shorted before bursting into flame.

The guard began shouting all sorts of human profanities as he backed away from the door. When I saw that he was about to call for backup, I levitated and knocked him against the flat helicopter pad. He groaned before lying still.

I relaxed my invisibility and alighted on the ground to catch my breath. I knew that if he woke up before I was gone, or if he was found there by others, it would surely raise alarm. Admittedly I considered sending him down the waterfall and into the spikes, but Lilly would not have approved of that.

_Then I'll have to do this quickly._

I became invisible again and opened the door, looking back at the unconscious man one more time before gliding into the tunnel ahead.

_This may be more difficult than I anticipated,_ I thought to myself as I approached the main hub.

About twenty members alone were milling about in the main lobby. It was noisy in there, which must have been the reason why no one heard the commotion that I had caused. I flew up to the ceiling and scanned the area furtively for some clue as to where Lilly could be. I read each Rocket's mind, but none of them contained thoughts of her. Had she not arrived yet? Was her presence being kept a secret?

Then one boy entered the room bearing a stack of papers.

_I can't believe that stupid girl didn't want the food, after all the effort I went through to go to the cafeteria and get it_, he thought crossly as he practically stomped into the room. _And she's so rude! Why does she hate Team Rocket so much, anyway? Giovanni created it to better mankind!_

I almost sighed with relief as I drifted toward him.

_And now on top of my regular duties_, he scowled as he slammed the mass of papers onto a desk, startling a woman that was sitting behind it,_ he's assigned me to her like some kind of_ _personal servant! Why's Giovanni treating her so nicely? Is she a prisoner or what?!_

I had absolute confidence that he was speaking of none other than Lilly and followed him closely as he left the hub. When I probed his mind further, I learned that his name was Kyle, he was fifteen years old, and that he was recruited by Team Rocket a few years ago after running away from an abusive mother and stepfather. The idea that he felt safer here than at his own home shocked me, but I did not allow myself to think about that too much.

While I did not expect him to immediately return to Lilly's cell, the boy seemed to travel the entirety of the hideout as I trailed him. He went to the cafeteria, the nap room, and I even waited outside the bathroom for him multiple times. I left his side once every few minutes to search for Giovanni, but he was nowhere to be found.

Though it had only been about forty minutes, I was beginning to become fatigued from prolonged use of invisibility. Just as I was about to hide in an empty room to take a break, Kyle returned to the cafeteria to get more rations for Lilly.

_She probably won't eat this either, but I'll get on Giovanni's bad side if I don't try._

It was another few minutes before we arrived outside of Lilly's cell. I seemed to take an eternity for the boy to pull out the card key from his pocket and press it to the door, I had to stop myself from ripping it out of his hands.

The door slid behind the wall to the left. I slipped inside before the boy could and desperately began searching for Lilly's mind.

_Lilly?_

The only other living thing I detected in the room was Kyle. The panic that I had suppressed when I first entered began to resurface.

_ Lilly? Are you hiding?_

After another moment, my stomach dropped when I realized that she was not there at all.

_ Did she escape already?!_

I turned around to look at Kyle, whose jaw had dropped, and his eyes were bugging out of his head.

"C-Code Red!" he screamed at the top of his lungs, dropping the food he held on her bed. "Code—"

When he looked in my direction, he screamed again and jumped backward. I looked behind myself, but nobody was there. Unfortunately for the boy, he was directly in front of a wall. He knocked his head back into the steely surface with a loud bang and stumbled forward again, quickly losing consciousness and falling forward onto the bed.

Confused, I looked down at myself but saw nothing.

_I am still invisible, how did he . . ._

There was a small piece of plastic that functioned as a mirror taped to the wall on the other side of the bed. I took one look at it and nearly cried out in surprise: my head and neck were entirely visible.

_What . . . but . . . how is this possible?!_

I stood there for a moment, doing my utmost to make them disappear again. To my dismay, the opposite began to happen. Almost like a rash, my shoulders and chest slowly faded back into view in small patches.

_No, this cannot be happening, _I groaned to myself.

I heard footsteps quickly approach, but with nowhere to hide I positioned myself in the front corner of the room and remained silent. Turning to look toward the entrance, I saw a rather innocent-looking Rocket Grunt peering inside. She could not have been much older than Lilly; perhaps she was the same age as the unconscious boy.

_Where is Team Rocket getting all these youths from?!_

The first thing she saw was the boy on the bed, and she took a few steps inside to investigate.

"Kyle? What are you—"

I was practically pressed into the wall in an effort to remain unseen, but she still spotted me out of the corner of her eye. The girl turned and took one look at my floating head and torso before she gasped and accidentally fell back on the bed.

Both of us stared at each other in shock for a moment. Just as I was about to say something, the girl came to her senses and finally exclaimed "Holy shit!" before turning and taking off as fast as she could down the hallway.

"No, wait a minute!" I shouted after her as if she would have actually heeded my request.

I stumbled into the hallway in a half-hearted attempt to catch the girl and lock her inside, but the damage was already done. Nearly gasping for breath, I went back into the room to regain some of my strength. I leaned against the cold wall before completely relaxing my invisibility. Though I had never been invisible for as many consecutive hours as I was that day, I was still shocked by the toll it took on me, both mentally and physically.

I straightened up once I began to hear voices in the hallway, taking a deep breath and focusing all my energy and willpower. When I looked in the mirror again, I could not see myself at all.

_I must find Lilly soon, _I thought to myself nervously, _before it becomes too late._

I exited the room just as other members of Team Rocket were approaching. The last thing I heard was more expletives as they discovered that neither their prisoner nor myself were in the room.

At that moment, the race to find Lilly began.


	34. Chapter 34

Happy belated Wednesday!

* * *

**Chapter 34**

"This is _not _going to work!" I whispered loudly, my palms pressed to my temples.

_ Make haste! Too much time has been lost, _Arceus said, his voice urgent.

"You want me to make what?"

_Get us out of here!_

Reluctantly, I unlocked the door to the tiny stall. I sighed anxiously when I looked in the mirror.

"This shirt is going to tip them off instantly!"

_Walk with confidence, and nobody will be any wiser._

I pulled the cap on my head a little further over my eyes. "Ugh!"

After the door to my cell opened earlier, I snuck out into the hallway with the intention of hiding in a bathroom like the one I was in at the moment. But I first found a door that was labeled 'storage room'. I knew that nobody was inside because it was not closed all the way to the wall. Pushing it open a little further, I slipped inside and tried to turn on the light, but only the emergency light on the floor was working. After squinting through the darkness for a few seconds, I saw some medical supplies, Pokémon gear, and . . .

_Clothes!_

I quickly grabbed the first clothes I could find and shed my own before throwing the new garments on. I felt conflicted about leaving my favorite travel clothes behind, but after a moment I stowed them behind one of the shelves. Then I grabbed a hat and ran out of there, darting into the bathroom across the hall. I did not have time to get a good look at myself before another person walked in, forcing me to wait in a stall until they left.

All I could think to myself was that this was not at all the right uniform. A t-shirt with the letter "R" printed on the front was tucked into a baggy pair of black knee-length shorts. The only thing I wore that was consistent with Team Rocket's uniform was the black cap. I hid my face in my hands and groaned to myself one more time before heading toward the door. Making sure the coast was clear, I scurried out of the bathroom and tried my best to act normal.

I walked quickly in the opposite direction of my cell, only having a vague idea of what to do next. I thought more about how I could get out of here by myself, or if it was even possible.

_Too risky. They'd probably find me quickly, anyway._

I instead decided to head toward the main entrance and wait near there to be found. Keeping my gaze low, I began nervously walking around the Rocket HQ. I tried not to walk too fast and did not dare to ask anybody for directions. I wondered how long it would take for someone to notice I was missing from my room.

Unfortunately, I did not wait very long. I heard a high voice shout, "Hey, wait!"

I continued walking, hoping the girl wasn't talking to me.

"Didn't you hear me? Wait a sec!" she huffed indignantly.

_Oh no, _I thought as dread set in, _is this where I get caught?_

I stopped in my tracks, about ready to have a panic attack. As the footsteps came closer, I slowly turned around and saw a girl with blond hair and brown eyes quickly walking toward me. She wore a black mini skirt, but her shirt was black. Though she was out of breath from trying to catch up with me, she did not look suspicious.

I hoped to Arceus that I managed to make myself look sufficiently puzzled by her approach.

The girl slowed down as she approached, a look of realization crossing her face. "Oh . . . my mistake! I thought you were someone else!" she giggled, embarrassed.

"I . . . uh . . ."

I was thrown off by the sudden look of excitement on her face. "Say, are you new here?"

"Uh . . . n-new?"

"I heard a pair of sisters were being transferred here from another base. I'm supposed to get the younger one acquainted with the way this one runs!" she beamed excitedly.

"Ah, yes that . . . that's me," I stammered, doing my best to look her in the eyes.

"It's so nice to meet you! What's your name?"

_ Oh god, think of a normal name, not something stupid . . ._

For some reason, I could do nothing but fixate on the massive "R" on her shirt.

"It's R— . . . Rose."

"Rose . . .?"

"Yeah, like . . . the flower," I laughed nervously.

I already did not see this ending well for me. "Oh . . . okay! Well, it's nice to meet you, Rose!"

"I have to go do . . . uh, g-garbage duty!" I said, starting to panic a little.

"Okay! And I'm Liz, by the way," she said, turning to go in the other direction, "I'm sure our admins will introduce us again later at dinner!"

"Actually, wait!" I called out.

She stopped and turned back around.

"Where, um . . . where do I throw out the garbage?"

"Oh, I can show you! By the way, who's your admin?"

"Elizabeth!"

My blood turned cold at the sound of Cassidy's voice echoing in the hallway. I instinctively turned to the side and pulled my hat lower, hoping that she hadn't noticed me yet.

"Hi, big sis!"

_Of _course_ she's your big sister._

"Don't you have something to do right now?" Cassidy hissed, her footsteps coming closer, "I'm _not _catching heat from your admin this time, got it?"

"I'll be up at kitchen duty in a second, I just have to show the new girl where the garbage disposal is!"

Her eyes narrowed. "What new girl?"

"Yeah, don't you remember? A pair of sisters was supposed to be transferred here today! This is Rose, the younger one!"

"I thought that was supposed to be next week," Cassidy said, putting a hand on one hip

"Was it?" Liz asked uncertainly.

"And what'd you say her name—"

Before she could get any closer, the lights in this hallway went out.

"Huh?!"

I had accidentally grabbed Liz's arm in my surprise. Not even the lights from the halls that branched off were working, it was pitch-black.

"What's going on? Did we lose power?" I heard Liz ask aloud.

Before either of us could respond, the sound of small, bare feet ran past us. The two of us yelped in surprise.

"Who's there?!" Cassidy shouted, finally pulling out a flashlight on her phone. She saw that I was still standing there, at this point clinging to her sister's arm and hiding my face in her shoulder in fear. Liz was looking around furtively, her free hand on one of the Pokéballs in her belt.

"Where'd it go?" Cassidy muttered, shining the light down the hallway, "that'd better not be . . ."

Moments later, the lights came back on.

"You two get a move on, I have to go investigate whatever that was," she said nervously, quickly dialing a phone number as she ran toward the sound of the footsteps.

"I'll be at kitchen duty soon, sis!" Liz shouted as I dragged her in the opposite direction.

"Fine but hurry up!" she called out behind her.

As soon as we turned the corner, I let go of her arm and let her lead the way. _What was that about? She doesn't think that was me, does she?_ I thought, more nervous than ever.

"Are you okay?" Liz asked, "Your hands are shaking."

"Y-Yeah, just nervous about my first day," I said, letting go of her arm and trying my best to smile.

"Don't worry about what happened earlier! I'm sure it was just a grunt pulling a prank on my sis, it happens more often than you'd realize," she laughed.

I was silent, so she continued, "But, you came from another base, right?"

"I meant . . . I'm nervous about my first day here," I said quickly.

I tried to keep track of where all the bathrooms were as we passed them, in case they would become necessary later.

"You'll be fine! It's probably almost the same routine as the base you came from . . . oh, here we are!"

She stopped outside of a door that said "Disposal Room"

"This is the one near the main lobby," she said, pointing down the hallway, "there's another one on the other side of the building, but we can go find that later."

"Thank you," I said, "you've been really helpful!"

She waved her hand and smiled, "No problem! Come by my room later when you're done, I'll get some clothes that actually fit you!"

I halfheartedly laughed at her last remark before stepping into a nearby bathroom and shutting the door behind me. Once I was sure there was no one else inside, I put my hands on the sink and let out the air I was holding.

"That . . . was too close!" I gasped.

Once I calmed down, I walked to the sink to wash my hands. As soon as I finished, I smoothed my hair, pulled my skirt down a little lower, and tried to roll up the sleeves of my Rocket shirt.

"I can't just hide in here," I mumbled to myself, "I have to be ready to help whoever is coming."

When I thought I looked presentable I tried to get my breathing under control before walking back out to look for the main entrance.

After what felt like an hour, I had figured out the layout of the building pretty well. I didn't know who was coming to rescue me, if anybody, but I could at least be prepared with an escape route when they came. There was a front lobby with a few different exits, but that would be too obvious to try to escape through. There was also a door with a sign that said "Exit" not far from where Giovanni's office was. Why were those the only two? Maybe there were more that I had not yet spotted.

The longer I spent outside of my cell, the more I found myself wondering if anyone at all was coming to help me. Maybe no one knew I was gone yet, after all. But I had to trust what Arceus showed me earlier. After all, what other choice did I have?

Somewhere during my search, I came across an atrium that had windows. The discovery had been shocking to me at first. Based on how long the descent from the surface was, I had assumed this hideout was deep underground. But there was no denying that this part was exposed to the outside world: I could see a sliver of the moon hanging in the night sky.

_We really must be in the side of a mountain, _I suddenly realized, thinking back to the vision I had earlier. I tried not to stare too long, though I felt a bit of hope flicker to life inside of me at the sight of the moon. I decided that this would be the fastest way to exit the hideout, pinning all my hopes onto a Pokémon being able to break through the windows.

It was hard to guess how much time went by as I made my way through the hideout. I avoided looking at people as much as possible when I passed, walking with purpose as to not be scolded for avoiding whatever my "assignment" was. I felt confident that nobody twice when they saw me. The only things I was concerned about were being seen twice by the same person, or someone saying something about my strange outfit. My white shirt might as well have had a target on it among the sea of black. Two girls even whispered and pointed at me as I walked by. Eventually, a door labeled "Utility Closet" caught my eye, one without a passcode. Deciding that I could use a short break, I pressed the button that opened the door and slipped inside. I kept my back to the wall until it slid closed again behind me.

The room was pitch black and unoccupied. I sat on the floor and rested my head on my knees, taking a moment to calm myself down.

** BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!**

I screamed at the top of my lungs and pressed my hands over my ears.

**ATTENTION ALL STANDBY MEMBERS. THIS IS HEAD ADMIN SPEAKING.**

"No, come on!" I moaned, getting back to my feet.

** THERE IS A CIVILLIAN MINOR LOOSE IN THE HIDEOUT. BLACK HAIR, GREEN EYES, TWELVE-YEAR-OLD FEMALE. DO NOT ENGAGE IN BATTLE. CONTAIN AND BRING HER TO AN ADMIN AT ONCE IF SHE IS SIGHTED. ADDITIONALLY, . . .**

The speaker hesitated before it continued, **WE HAVE ONE CONFIRMED MEWTWO SIGHTING. I REPEAT, MEWTWO HAS BEEN SIGHTED.**

My heart lurched.

_Mewtwo?!_

** ENGAGE IN BATTLE ON SIGHT. REPORT TO YOUR ADMIN IF DEFEATED.**

I listened to that last part in disbelief. Why were they being encouraged to start an unwinnable fight?

I rapidly hit the button to open the door several times before it finally slid open and I sprang out into the hallway. "Mewtwo?"

I stood there for a moment, startled by the flashing red lights that must have appeared in the ceiling when the alarm went off. I finally picked a direction and took off running. I called out his name, not caring who could hear me.

"Mewtwo! Where are you?!"

"Stop right there!" I heard a Rocket shout from behind as I turned a corner.

_Crap!_

Luckily, I stumbled across a bathroom and quickly retreated inside. I heard the man run past the door, at which point I peeked back outside before taking off in the same direction again.

I ran as hard as I could, my heart threatening to burst out of my chest. I was too scared to cry. In fact, I could not remember being more scared in my entire life than I was in that moment.

I arrived at the intersection of two hallways, but I knew the right one led to the atrium. I chose that one and kept running.

"Mewtwo!"

A faint voice called back:

_Lilly!_

I gasped and stopped at the sound of my name.

"Mewtwo?!"

_Lilly, where—_

His voice almost turned into static, then suddenly cut out.

"I'm right here!" I shouted, turning around to run, "I'm right—"

I screamed in surprise when I smacked into something I could not see. I had turned around so quickly that the resulting force knocked me flat on my back. I quickly scrambled away, worried that I had accidentally collided with a member of Team Rocket. But when I looked up again, there was only empty air in front of me.

Moments later, Mewtwo appeared. He had been levitating, but at that moment he abruptly landed on the floor. His hands were on his knees with his head angled toward the ground as he took some deep breaths. I was so shocked to see him that I still did not move. Though I was filled with questions, all the air seemed to have escaped my lungs and I could not ask a single one. After a few seconds, he finally looked up at me, his dark eyes clouded with exhaustion.

"Sorry . . . to have kept you waiting," he said breathlessly, extending his hand toward me.


	35. Chapter 35

Kind of wishing I did something for April Fools Day, but I'm sure all of you have had enough^^;

I work at a school, so things have been a little hectic around here as we set up online classes for the students. We are also nearing the end of this arc, so I'm trying to figure out what to do to bridge the other fics together in a logical way. I hope you enjoy the last few chapters!

* * *

**Chapter 35**

"Sorry . . . to have kept you waiting."

Mewtwo's apology was hardly audible over the sirens and the Rockets calling to each other in a nearby hallway. I felt more uneasy than relieved by the sight of him, but I still took his outstretched hand and let him help me off the ground. Despite my hesitation, I could not see any trace of his anger from earlier, his face was now more drawn than I had ever seen it. I became so overwhelmed by everything that was happening that my vision started to blur with tears. "Wh-What are you—"

I froze and nearly stopped breathing when he put both his hands on my shoulders. I did not realize how scared of him I was until that moment. "I came to bring you home, of course," he said in reply as he looked me up and down. If Mewtwo sensed my fear, he did not say anything about it.

"But I thought . . . aren't you—"

Before I could ask if he was still angry with me, he used my shoulders to steady himself as he bent down on one knee, bringing himself down to my eye level. But even still, his voice was almost too low for me to hear when he asked: "Did they lay their hands on you?"

I stopped speaking, shocked he had asked me that. "Why are you—?"

He lifted one of his hands. When two of his fingers lightly touched the left side of my face, I instinctively closed my eyes and flinched back. "Did they hurt you at all?" he asked again.

I opened my eyes again, wondering how he knew about my face. "I . . . a little," I murmured, still avoiding his gaze, "but I'm okay now. I was scared more than anything else."

His expression was strange to me when I looked up again. I could not tell what was going through his mind. In the time that I had known him up until then, 'worry' was never a look that crossed his face, and it looked about as foreign as a smile would have. But stranger still, he returned his hand to my shoulder and seemed to use it to stand up to his full height again. I was taken out of the moment. _Did I imagine that?_

"Did they hurt _you_?" I asked, my eyes widening, "you seem like you're out of—"

"Save your questions for later," he said, abruptly cutting me off and releasing me from his grip. "We have to get out of here immediately."

It was then that I heard voices shouting from behind, just around the corner of the hallway I came from. "We can teleport, right?" I asked, moving close to him.

"Yes," he confirmed, placing one of his hands back on my shoulder.

I closed my eyes and breathed another sigh of relief, expecting the din of the sirens and shouting to stop by the time I had finished exhaling.

But as the noise continued, I opened my eyes again in confusion. When I looked up at his face, I saw that he was staring fixedly at the wall behind me. One of his eyes seemed to be barely twitching. "Uh . . . Mewtwo?" I asked, growing a little concerned.

His concentration was broken when I said his name. "Just . . . give me a minute," he said, blinking and rubbing his head with his free hand.

"Give you a _minute_?" I echoed, my voice louder than I thought it would be. But Mewtwo did not even tell me to quiet down. He suddenly removed his hand from my shoulder and leaned against the wall. Then he closed his eyes again and inhaled deeply, as if every last member of Team Rocket in the building was not trying to hunt us down at that very moment. I looked behind myself nervously, bewildered by what was happening.

"What are you waiting for?" I asked again, my voice rising in pitch as my panic grew. "You've never had to wait before."

When he still didn't respond, I said more urgently, "We have to go _now_, they're going to find us here any second!

He took one last deep breath and opened his eyes. "Okay," Mewtwo said, standing upright again.

He put both of his hands firmly on my shoulders this time as he said, "We can go now."

He closed his eyes once more. I kept mine open as I waited, listening to the men who had shouted grow closer and closer to where we were standing.

"What's going on?" I asked quietly when nothing happened, close to tears again.

"Shh," he hissed impatiently.

"Why are we still here? Is something wrong?" I insisted.

"Let me . . . concentrate," he practically said through his teeth.

I fell silent, wondering how he could focus at all with the sirens and lights. With each passing second, Mewtwo's breathing became more and more labored, and I could feel his hands begin to shake as his grip on my shoulders steadily slackened. It suddenly clicked that he was unable to teleport, and his efforts to do so were making him weaker. "Mewtwo, stop it!" I shouted finally.

He gasped and his eyelids flew open. From the look on his face, I could see that he arrived at the same horrific conclusion I did: we were unable to leave the hideout. After a moment his arms buckled, and he practically fell on me. I gasped loudly in surprise, but I steadied him and pushed him upright again.

"They're over here!" I heard a man shout.

From the volume of his voice, I could tell that they were about to turn the corner to this hallway. I knew we could not stay there any longer. "Come on, this way!" I said finally, grabbing his wrist and running in the opposite direction of the voices.

I began to sprint as fast as I was able toward the atrium with the windows that led to the outside, but it felt as though I was pulling a sack of bricks as Mewtwo stumbled down the corridor behind me. I could sense that he was unsuccessfully trying to levitate from the way his weight dramatically shifted in my grasp. "Lilly," he called from behind, panting loudly "my legs . . . I am not designed to—"

"We're almost there, keep pace with me!" I called back desperately.

I already knew what he was going to say: though his legs were much longer than those of Mew, the Pokémon his designed was based on, they were not designed to move faster than a walking pace. But getting to that atrium was our only way out, and we were out of time. The hat I wore flew off, but I did not stop to pick it up. My hair also quickly came down, flying behind me as I ran.

Just as we were about to enter the atrium, I turned my head and shouted back at him, "We just have to break out of this—!"

I saw it happen before I could do anything to stop it. Mewtwo brought his leg up to take another step forward, but one of his toes caught on his ankle. Unable to levitate, he tripped and fell flat on his front.

"Mewtwo!"

He began to push himself off the steel floor again, but he could not hold his own weight up long enough even to get to his knees. I got down beside him and tried to pull him up myself, but I was not strong enough. My eyes went wide with fear.

"How is this happening?" I asked again, looking him over as I sat him upright against the wall that we were closest to. "Is it your injuries from back then? Have they—"

"No, they . . . nothing happened," he gasped out, his eyes screwed shut.

"Then why is this . . ."

I was at a loss for words, so I just asked again, "What's happening to you?!"

There was a pause before he began to respond, "I . . . I do not—"

"You have to get up, they're going to catch up to us!" I cut him off, realizing that even his speech was becoming more lethargic. I began pushing him up against the wall in an effort to get him back on his feet.

"Lilly—"

"Come on, help me!" I heaved.

"I am slowing you down."

I shook my head, "Then get up . . . faster!" I gasped out.

With one final grunt, I stopped trying to push him up the wall and looked at him imploringly. "Mewtwo, please, we're so close to the exit! It's right over— "

He silenced me with a scathing look of his own, but he blinked it away once I had stopped talking. Then he reached out with his hands and put them on my head, closing his eyes once more and lowering his head slightly. "They want . . . me," he murmured between breaths, "they just want me."

Confused, I tried to ask, "Wait, what are you—"

"I am . . . sending you back home," he said, his eyes still closed.

I was sure that I had not heard him right. "What?"

"My strength is gone . . ."

As he spoke, I felt his hands begin to shake again on my head. "They are almost upon us. I can only do enough . . ."

In that moment, I finally realized what he was attempting to do. I cried out, "No!"

"To . . . get you . . ."

A deep crimson began to run down his nose and over his mouth as he spoke. The blood dripped onto the lilac skin on his chest. It was the first time I had ever seen his nose bleed. Yet I could see that he was still trying to finish his sentence, oblivious to the damage he was causing. I, however, could no longer watch him do this to himself. "Mewtwo, _stop it_!"

I reached up and grabbed one of his hands with mine, pulling it off my head and laying it on his leg. He opened his eyes when he heard me begin to cry. "Lilly . . . I need to—"

"No, something's wrong!" I choked out, reaching up and wiping his nose with the shoulder of my white shirt, showing him the blood. "See? You're just making yourself worse! Stop trying to send me away!"

"Then . . . you must run. You can save yourself now . . . they already have—"

"No!" I pressed my forehead to his before exclaiming, "We have to leave t-together!"

"Listen to me, now!"

I could tell that it was a tremendous effort for him to raise his voice above a whisper. I backed away, my face finally crumbling.

"To them . . . you are disposable."

"Disposable?" I whispered.

"Yes. They . . . will not kill me. They need me."

I shook my head vigorously, squeezing his arms in my hands. "They won't kill me, either!" I insisted, "Giovanni doesn't—"

"_Giovanni_ is not . . . the man you think he is," Mewtwo said with as much urgency as he was able to. "I know . . . he will not listen to you on this matter. The only way I can survive . . . is if you—"

"You're lying to me!" I cried, not wanting to hear the end of that sentence.

"I am not—"

"Yes, you are! They'll kill you, we both need to leave!"

He shook his head slowly in denial. "I am not lying, but . . . if I am wrong, so be it. You have people . . . and Pokémon waiting—"

"Stop talking like that!"

Without letting him finish that thought, I let go of his hands and hooked my arms under his shoulders. "Save your breath . . . for escaping! You also have people and Pokémon who care about you!" I cried out. I started pushing him against the wall again in a final effort to stand him upright.

"We're . . . we're in this together! I'm not gonna let them take you, not after all we've been through!" I gasped out between attempts. I kept pulling with all the strength I had in my body, but it wasn't enough to get him on his feet. "But please," I exclaimed, my entire upper body shaking, "I need you to stand up!"

A moment later, my heart swelled with relief when I felt him begin to push up with his feet as I pulled as hard as I could. "That's it! D-Don't give up yet!" I said encouragingly, though my voice was beginning to break from pulling his weight and the tears I was holding back.

He was finally on his feet against the wall, with my arms still under his shoulders. I pressed my sweaty forehead into him and cried out in frustration. With agonizing slowness, Mewtwo wrapped his thin arms around my back before lowering his head onto mine, as if to rest for a moment. "Please" I choked out, "we're almost there, I . . . I need you to . . ."

The lights and pandemonium surrounding us seemed to vanish as I buried my face into his chest, locking my hands together behind him in the strongest grip I could manage. After a moment, I tried pulling him off the wall but stopped when I felt his knees buckle slightly. I knew then that it was over.

"Mewtwo," I cried weakly, "I'm—!"

_ BANG._


	36. Chapter 36

TW: blood, violence, etc.

* * *

**Chapter 36**

The sirens stopped immediately after the gun went off.

Lilly screamed at the top of her lungs in response to the loud noise it made. I gasped, my hands flying to her back as they searched for a bullet hole. A moment later, something warm at wet fell on my shoulder. My eyes still fixed on the top of Lilly's head, I reached up and touched my ear. When I brought down my hand, I saw the blood. _Thank goodness._

Furious, I tore my gaze away from her to look for the culprit. Giovanni was standing a few meters away. His poker face was as strong as ever, but his eyes gave away the excitement he felt. Next to him stood an admin with a handgun still trained on me, though he lowered it after Giovanni nodded at him. Behind the two of them stood at least thirty members of Team Rocket with Pokéballs drawn, prepared to provide backup at any time.

Though she tried to keep quiet, Lilly shook like a leaf with sobs. Doing everything I could to keep her out of their reach, I put an arm around her upper back and a hand on her head. I even went as far as to push myself off of the wall in an attempt to stand in front of her, but I nearly lost my footing again. If Giovanni found out how vulnerable I was in that moment, all hope would be lost. It was clear to me that I was not strong enough to get the both of us to safety, but by that point I feared that I lost the strength to transport even just Lilly away from the hideout. I ran through all possible options in my mind as quickly as I could, trying to think of anything that would get her out of this mess. If I gave up without a fight, perhaps there would be no mess to get her out of.

I continued to glare at Giovanni with all the hatred I had as I waited for him to speak. I did not know what he did to make me feel as though I was dying, but I knew that he must be involved somehow. "At last!" Giovanni's voice finally boomed as he clapped his hands together, "he so graciously returns to us!"

The members around us snickered in response. Though it had been a few years by that point, I recognized some of their faces. "But I will be the first to admit it," he continued, silencing them, "I was quite skeptical that you were actually going to come to this place."

He chuckled to himself as he took a few steps in our direction. "Tell me, was what we have _so_ precious that you would risk your very life? I'm dying to know the answer."

I panicked for a moment; until that point, I assumed he took Lilly knowing that she was important to Ash in hopes of getting him to cooperate. But if he thought Lilly was important to _me, _he would not hesitate to use that to his advantage. _No, _I reassured myself_, he could not possibly know_.

"Lilly," Giovanni said in warning, "you really ought to step away from the creature. Think about your safety, there's no telling what it will do in this position."

When she didn't answer, he continued more urgently, "You don't claim to be ignorant, do you? Are you not aware of what it did to hundreds of innocent scientists and Team Rocket members? Or the alleged New Island incident?"

Lilly's gasp was audible, and my heart sank when I heard it. But I could not pretend to be shocked by her response, as she had every right to be afraid of me. I wanted to tell her that I would never hurt her, that even back at her home I could not bring myself to do anything more than scare her. But it was taking all my focus to remain upright, much less speak to her telepathically. As I watched him slowly approach us, Lilly's demands from a few minutes ago began to replay in my mind:

_ "We can't let them win!"_

I felt another growl rise in my throat as I abruptly ripped her away from myself, turning her to face the crowd and winding my three fingers around her throat. I heard Lilly gasp in surprise and felt her grab at my forearm in resistance, but I held firm. "Careful, now," I snapped, locking eyes with him and raising my other arm to make it look as though I would harm her, "come no closer, unless you want me to use her as a . . . demonstration of the things you say I did."

Giovanni stopped in his tracks, but his face remained stoic.

"What, you're really going to kill the girl now? After all the trouble you went through to save her life?" he asked, his voice mocking me.

"I did come here for the girl, but I have no real attachment to this . . . _human_," I sneered, tightening my grip a little at the word "human". Lilly gasped weakly.

"Is that so? Then, have you come back because you missed me?" Giovanni asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I came because I owed Ash a favor. He begged me to save the girl . . . hut be warned, if you really are going to make me choose between her life and mine . . ."

Her neck still in my grasp, I lifted Lilly several inches off the ground.

"I think . . . we both know who would be alive in the end," I chuckled darkly.

Though I was mostly relying on my psychic power so that she would not be in any real danger, I heard her sob quietly at that statement. I was forced to remember the look of fear on her face when I threatened her with a shard of glass nearly a day ago. But for her sake I could not let it show; I quickly forced that memory back for the time being.

Giovanni eyed me knowingly for a moment, very obviously suppressing a smirk from forming on his face.

"You're right," he said smugly, "we do know."

Though I kept my intimidating demeanor, the rapidly rising level of confidence in his tone was making me feel uneasy. I gritted my teeth in an effort to focus, as I could not hold Lilly off the ground for much longer. Admittedly, I was counting on Giovanni to recall my long history of violence as he did and bargain with me for her life, but it seemed as though he had something else in mind.

"I'll bet you're wondering what I mean by that, aren't you? Here, allow me to refresh your memory."

He looked back at another member and commanded, "Play the recording."

_Recording?_

Someone with a remote pushed a button, and a speaker clicked on.

_"Ash, I will fix this."_

I felt the blood drain from my face at the sound of my own voice.

_ "What? No, leave it to the police! They'll be back any minute! Right, Mom?"_

_ "The police do not know where the hideout is, and we are short on time. I have to be the one to save her."_

_ "No, Mewtwo, don't do this! They said to bring you to—"_

I heard myself tell him not to tell the police, that I had to do it alone.

_ "No Ash, he's right. You stay right here, young man."_

There was a lot of background noise as Lilly's Pokémon began to insist on accompanying me, but a moment later my voice returned clear as day:

_ "You all listen! Not one of you is to accompany me to the hideout! I will return within the next twelve hours. If I am not back by then with Lilly, then you may attempt to rescue her."_

_ "Mewtwo, stop, you don't know what you're doing!"_

_ "I know exactly what I am doing. Let go of my tail, now."_

_ "Then what is it?!"_

"_I am saving the human who loved me, despite the monster that I am." _The recording clicked off after those words.

I stood there for a moment, eyes wide with shock; in under a minute, Giovanni was able to completely call my bluff.

"Before I had heard that, I thought it was a _massive_ blunder to bring her to the hideout. I actually came quite close to firing some people. But after listening to what the bugs picked up from the house once she was captured, I mean . . ."

He smiled in disbelief before continuing, "What a performance! It became obvious that she apparently _does_ mean something to you."

I was too focused on holding Lilly up to become angrier at Giovanni. Something warm and metallic entered my mouth, I assumed my nose had begun to bleed again. Giovanni did not acknowledge it.

"Bugs?" I asked, my eyes narrowing.

"Butch here may have failed in capturing you, but he took the liberty of planting bugs before departing from the house with the girl on the off chance you returned."

"How did you find us at that house?"

"Ah, of course," he said, taking a few steps closer, "you must recall your encounter with the lovely Cassidy in the Safari Zone, yes?

My arm was shaking as he slowly pulled a small piece of paper out of his pocket and held it up for me to see. It was a photo of me hovering behind Lilly, looking at Cassidy warily.

"Our Cassidy was on a different mission to the Safari Zone, but miraculously still managed to get some photos of you with our special camera while you were invisible! The two had their suspicions, but they eventually came to the conclusion that you were hiding with her," he laughed, tossing the photograph on the ground.

The blood was steadily dripping to the ground, and I began to see black spots in my vision. I realized that this facade was pointless, he was just going to keep talking until I keeled over and he could scrape me up off the ground without a fight.

Unable to hold Lilly in the air any longer, I gently placed her back on her feet again and released my grasp, not taking my eyes off of Giovanni. She slowly turned around and looked back at me, tears swimming in her wide eyes.

_Sorry, I thought that would work, _was all I said to her, my attention still focused on Giovanni as I wiped my nose and mouth with my forearm.

"In short, not only did you come to retrieve Lilly, you _insisted _that you do it yourself!" he laughed, clapping his hands together again, obviously enjoying this, "Isn't that curious?"

I inhaled deeply, closing my eyes. Then I levitated Lilly once more and brought her back to my side. She quickly wrapped her arms around my midsection and hid her face against my ribs. Low murmurs of surprise were heard from the group standing in front of us. I felt my face soften as I looked back at Giovanni, giving up the ruse entirely.

"Please," I said quietly.

He raised his eyebrows in surprise.

"What did you say to me?"

This was not something I had ever done previously, but I swallowed my pride and said it anyway.

"I beg of you, just allow me . . . to take her home."

Wrapping my right arm and my tail around Lilly, I began to lean against her for support and continued, "After that, I will . . . you can do as you wish . . . with me."

I had to pause to catch my breath again.

"I will cooperate . . . once I know that she is safe," I finished after a moment.

"Mewtwo, no," Lilly whispered, looking up at me fearfully, "you're not doing—"

"Stay out of this, Lilly," I growled under my breath in warning.

Giovanni's eyes widened in realization, then he laughed again.

"Ha! You're still trying to protect her, even though you're the one falling apart?" he wiped a tear from his eye, smiling to himself, "You really have become weak, haven't you?"

"No," I said in reply, "I have become . . . stronger than ever."

"_Stronger?_ Do you hear yourself? You can hardly speak to me in full sentences! I'm impressed that you're still on your feet after this long."

"What do you mean? Why is this happening to him?" Lilly turned around and asked before I could.

"Mewtwo, you really aren't as cautious as you used to be," he said, ignoring her again, "Did you actually believe that your strength was being sapped due to extended use of invisibility?"

He laughed out loud at my confused expression, then continued, "Wrong! This could have not gone more according to my plan. All of our previous attempts to contain you have failed because we were attempting to limit your power, but we were not thinking broadly enough! I had a team of scientists create a device designed specifically to _absorb_ your energy, should you ever set foot inside one of our facilities again. The stronger your endeavor is to evade us, the further you exhaust yourself."

He took a step closer to me, smiling tauntingly as he added, "You cannot even teleport to safety right now, can you?"

I stared at him in disbelief for a moment as everything he said sank in. Then I said quietly, "You . . . set me up."

"Though you claim to be the most intelligent and powerful Pokémon in the world, it's nice to see that you are still as easy as ever for us to . . . _manipulate_."

He drew that last word out for as long as he could, then lifted his right hand and wiggled his fingers slowly.

"Almost as easily as clay."

I yelled out in anger at that insult and started to push Lilly out of my way to fight him myself.

"Come closer, I dare you!" I bellowed, "You have no power over me, you spineless . . . pathetic excuse for a—"

Before I could take a single step, Lilly tightly gripped my arms with her small hands and used her strength to hold me behind her.

"Stop, Mewtwo! He's just trying to separate us, they'll probably shoot you as soon as they do," she whispered urgently.

At that moment the last thing I wanted to do was obey her, but in my weakened state I could not budge Lilly even an inch, much less fight Giovanni.

"Please, just let him go!" she finally cried out toward Giovanni, "Mewtwo doesn't belong to anybody!"

Then she seemed to address the rest of the members standing around us when she exclaimed, "And he deserves to live freely, as much as any human or Pokémon!"

"And when has that stopped me from using thousands of other Pokémon to further the aims of Team Rocket? Much less one that was created for the very purpose of doing our bidding. It's my property that you stole from me, don't you realize?"

"If you wanted something that you could control, you should have made a robot instead!" she said defensively.

He looked at Lilly condescendingly before continuing, "Don't worry! Once it's been reset, we can learn from our mistakes! We'll use what we already have to create an even better version of Mewtwo, one that is far superior to the current version. It's all in the name of science!"

I finally stopped struggling against Lilly's grip, too exhausted to continue doing so.

"We already have the tools at our disposal to accomplish that, but," he paused, taking another step toward us, "using _this_ body will be much faster than creating a new one. It'll be just like recycling; don't you learn about that in school?"

"How can you talk about him like some kind of science project? He has feelings, just like me!"

Giovanni rolled his eyes at the words "science project." Lilly could not tell, but it was becoming increasingly obvious to me that Giovanni's patience was wearing thin from arguing with a young girl.

"Well, this is certainly . . . irritating."

He looked away for a moment, seemingly to contemplate something.

"I did not think you would stoop this low, Mewtwo. Using the girl to win your freedom is not your style."

"Leave her out . . . out of this," I growled.

"I'm afraid that her persistence is not giving me much of a choice right now."

Abruptly, he snapped his fingers; the sound echoed louder than I expected it to. Four additional men in the crowd ran to his side and trained their handguns on us.

Lilly gasped fearfully and pressed back into me.

"It would be quite a shame if we had to deliver a bloody corpse back home to her aunt. Really devastating, don't you think?" he asked, his voice darkening.

"That's enough, Giovanni!" I shouted, finally forcing her to get behind me.

The men froze, but they did not lower their weapons.

"I will come quietly," I said as clearly as I could, though I was beginning to slur my words together.

"Just . . . do not hurt her."

"That's more like it. I knew you would come to your senses eventually," Giovanni said, nodding to a woman who was standing nearby.

She walked up to us and stood in front of me expectantly, waiting for me to step aside. I glared back at her for a moment, though I knew that I could not avoid this fate any longer without risking Lilly's life as well. I released her from my grasp and moved back toward the wall, struggling to keep myself upright without her support.

"Mewtwo, wait! What are you doing?"

Her hands were ripped off of me by the woman taking her. I could only stand there and watch Lilly kick and scream as she was dragged away from me.

"No! Let go of me!"

"I relish in finally getting to take your life, but I don't think dragging a child into it is not necessary today. Wouldn't you agree?" Giovanni said, looking at his fingernails.

"Teleport! Don't just stand there!" Lilly cried, her voice becoming hoarse.

I did not dare to move or reply to her demands, afraid that they would hurt her knowing that I could do nothing to stop them.

"Mewtwo!"

Out of reflex, I stumbled forward a couple of steps when she screamed my name that loudly, but I stopped myself before I could go any further. I fell to my knees and closed my eyes, forcefully pressing my hands over my ears as I tried to drown out her voice.

That was when I heard Giovanni say, "Just enough to keep him still."

I opened my eyes just in time to hear four loud bangs as the Rockets fired their weapons, wounding me in the abdomen and legs. I cried out and was pushed onto my back from the force, writhing in agony as Lilly bawled furiously.

"Stop it! Don't hurt him!"

Giovanni nodded to an additional Rocket, who then tossed him an unfamiliar-looking gun. I was fighting to stay conscious as he advanced toward me with the strange weapon trained on my head, grinning broadly with excitement.

My eyes grew wide as I stared down the barrel. I feared what it would do to me while Lilly was present.

"The time has come for us to reclaim you, and create something far more _obedient_—"

He delivered a kick to one of my wounded legs.

"Something more_ loyal_—"

He stomped on my chest. I grunted in pain and spat up blood.

"And something even more powerful than you!"

I could not believe the way that Lilly was screaming at Giovanni. Her voice then was even louder than when she had nightmares.

"Somebody shut that brat up," he barked without turning around.

I saw the woman holding her back put a gloved hand over her mouth and pinch her nose, preventing her from drawing breath. The desire to get up from where I was lying and rip the very air out of her lungs was overwhelming, but I was completely powerless to do so. I could only wheeze and glare furiously at Giovanni.

"Any last words?" he asked, taking several paces backwards before taking careful aim with the weapon.

With whatever strength I had left, I turned my head toward Lilly and did my best to speak inside her mind.

_Lilly, can you hear me? Even now?_

When her eyes widened, I knew my telepathy was still working.

_Please turn away, or at least close your eyes. I do not want you to remember me like this._

She rapidly shook her head and kept her gaze fixed on me. Trying to read the thoughts in her head at that moment was like listening to static.

"No, then? Well, this is goodbye for now."

_Do not blame yourself, _I continued,_ you have given me . . . more than I can ever thank you for. I never deserved your—_

As I spoke, the static slowly melted together and eventually vanished, turning into a low hum. Before I could really listen to it, a massive headache suddenly exploded inside my own skull, leaving me unable to form coherent thoughts or listen to hers. Instead, I thought about my favorite memories with Lilly, hoping that they would still reach her.

I finally closed my eyes, preparing myself for death.

Milliseconds before Giovanni pulled the trigger, a woman's scream echoed off the walls of the room. But the device quickly drowned her out, booming as loud as thunder when it fired.

* * *

I didn't want to say this before you read this chapter, but fun fact, this chapter is the idea that this fic was first based on when it was first created! So it's arguably the oldest chapter I've written. I hope you enjoyed it!


	37. Chapter 37

Trigger Warning: blood, violence, death, etc.

* * *

**Chapter 37**

I never gave much thought to what death would feel like. Since it was not something I saw in my future, it was never something I had to consider.

Though I never saw Lilly in my future, either. The moment that the gun fired, it occurred to me that the two might be one and the same. I remember thinking, perhaps this world is not big enough for two beings that shouldn't exist.

I stopped breathing and waited for all my senses to fade, waited for all the lights to go dark.

But nothing happened.

_Did he . . . miss?_

Before I drew breath again, a strange burning smell hit my nose, affirming that I was still alive. A moment later, I blinked and saw I was still in the same brightly lit room. I inhaled, feeling the same pain from the earlier gunshot wounds. But I was alive.

_What happened? He was standing right over me!_

The first thing that came into focus was Giovanni's. His eyes were wide with shock, and his mouth was slightly parted as he looked from the ground in front of him, to the gun in his hands, and back again. The sound of metal clanging on the floor startled me, at which point I realized he had dropped the weapon.

As my vision focused over the next few seconds, I could see that the other members of Team Rocket were wearing expressions of disbelief and horror, their eyes glued to the floor in front of me in a similar manner. I turned my head slightly to look at Lilly again, searching for her thoughts, but instead I only saw the member who took her from me a few minutes earlier.

To my surprise, she was on her knees with her palms toward the ceiling, weeping freely. The white gloves she wore were now singed black and smoking, all of the fabric on her palms and her wrists was missing. Even with my unfocused eyesight, I could see the exposed flesh. Her fingers were blackened, and her hands and arms were bright red.

Still trying to figure out what had just come to pass, I gasped in pain as I propped myself on my elbows to look at the scene in front of me, though I was still not conscious enough to know what I was looking at immediately. After staring for a moment longer, my heart seemed to pause.

Mere inches away from me, Lilly was lying on her side with her eyes closed as if she was fast asleep. As soon as I realized it was her, I knew exactly what had happened.

_No . . . what is she . . ._

Her long hair and the white Team Rocket t-shirt she wore were beginning to soak up some of the blood that was spilled, though I could not tell if it was mine or hers. I forced myself to sit up and crawl toward the body, the pain I felt slowly melting away as the adrenaline begin to move through my veins. My hands made contact with her skin to roll her onto her back, and I was shocked to feel that she was already as cold as the metal floor that I knelt on. I tried to look for some kind of visible wound, but there was nothing; she was not bleeding from anywhere.

I gritted my teeth together and wrapped my hands around her shoulders. When I pulled the pain in my side was almost unbearable, but after a few moments, I managed to get her limp body onto my legs. I grabbed at her wrist to find some kind of pulse, but nothing moved. "Lilly?" I whispered, still not believing what had happened.

There was no response. I felt my breathing grow faster and shallower. "Lilly, wake . . . wake up," I asked again as I lightly shook her, my voice strained.

She still did not say anything in response.

Dread began to creep up inside of me. I grunted in pain as I lifted her head and held her face very close to mine, trying to feel her breath on my skin.

"Please . . . wake up . . . wake up, now . . ."

The disbelief I was feeling quickly turned into horror, and I could no longer breathe at all.

"No . . . no, no, _no!_"

The strangled sob that escaped from my throat at that moment was something I had never heard before, but it still haunts me today.

"No, this was not supposed to . . . no . . .""

At those words, hot tears began to roll down my face; I gasped when I realized what they were.

"How . . . did this . . ."

I felt my fingers on the back of her head grip her hair tightly as if it would somehow wake her again. The image of her pale face and blue eyelids and lips was being seared into my brain, making me feel sicker than I had ever felt in my life.

"It was . . . supposed to be me!" I cried out weakly in anguish, "It . . . should have been . . . me . . ."

I lifted Lilly up to myself again and held her as tightly as I could, burying my face in her cold neck as I wept uncontrollably. Several minutes went by like this, and I began to feel numb. Though the bullets were reduced to mere stinging as time went by, I still found myself wishing for death. But another voice emerged from those thoughts:

_I will not let them win this time._

Almost as if to signal me, one of the Rockets accidentally coughed and broke the otherwise solid wall of silence that emanated from them. I slowly raised my head, brought back to the present. Each one of the members surrounding us was still speechless, horrified at the act that their leader committed. Unfortunately for them no amount of remorse, real or not, would be enough to make me feel any kind of shame for what I wanted to do to them. I shifted my gaze to Giovanni again, my tears subsiding enough to finally address him.

"Do you . . . see . . . what your greed has done?" I croaked, still clutching Lilly's lifeless body to my own.

I did not take my eyes off of his black ones for even a second. He stammered for a moment before responding.

"Mewtwo, I—"

"Do NOT—!"

I quickly turned my head away so the blood I vomited would not land on her, then stared him down again. My entire upper body hurt from the bullet wound in my side, but a new warmth began to radiate from my chest. Had I been shot there as well? How did I not notice earlier?

I gasped out the words, "You . . . _killed_—"

"I . . . I did not," he said, his voice bordering on urgent, "You saw me yourself. I was aiming straight at you, but she must have . . ."

He looked back to the woman for a split second before continuing, " I-I really don't know how—"

"No . . . YOU killed her!" I said before spitting out another mouthful of blood.

As I said those words, I felt my heart begin to pick up speed, racing against my ribs. I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand again, focusing on putting one foot on the ground in front of me without slipping on the blood. Giovanni stood there with his mouth still agape, taking half a step back when he saw me get to one knee.

"How could you . . . ?! She's . . . she's only a child!" I choked out between sobs.

"Mewtwo, I tried to ensure that she was well out of harm's way. It was never my intention to kill her, you must have known that from the start," he said as he continued to slowly back away from me.

I stared at him harder in hopes that it would burn a hole right through his forehead, tears still streaming down my face as I tried to regain control over my breathing. Then I looked down at her and pushed the hair out of her eyes and mouth, gently cradling her head in my other hand.

". . . Fix this," I whispered, wiping some of my blood off her cheek with my thumb.

Giovanni stammered for a moment.

"I . . . fix what, exactly?"

"Bring her back, now!" I looked back toward him again, my rage boiling over. "While there's still time!" I roared.

"For Arceus' sake, she's dead Mewtwo!" he cried out, seemingly horrified by my suggestion.

"And?!"

"Can't you bring her back yourself? I will allow you to do that much before we reclaim you," he said, putting his hands out.

"No . . . I c-can not," I cried out helplessly, my voice breaking, "not when you drain me of my power and put _four_ bullets in me!"

"There isn't anything we can do for her now, she's—"

"Stop _lying_ to me! You were going to resuscitate me, why is it different for her?! Do whatever it takes, I know you have the resources!"

"Fine, then I will also make myself perfectly clear," he responded, almost too quietly for me to hear:

"The gun halts all activity in the organism, it is essentially a much faster weapon than the one that is slowly draining you of your power. As such, the odds of her being fully sentient are . . . very small if we do this. Considering all of that, is this what she would want?"

I stared at him incredulously as I processed what he was telling me.

"We had this plan perfected for _you_, a clone we created with our same technology," he continued, "but not . . . a human being."

I looked back down at her, but my vision was too blurred to see anything clearly.

"Why?!" I cried out hoarsely.

He gave no response but continued to stare at me as if he also could not believe what was happening.

Still embracing Lilly, I struggled to get to my feet as my vision turned blue. I was still not feeling merciful toward any of the people standing before me; all of them allowed for this atrocity to happen.

The men who shot me earlier quickly got back into position and took aim with their guns again, their faces reflecting the shock they felt seeing me lift myself off the ground. Two members released their Pokémon, an Arcanine and a Gengar.

I cried out in anger, manifesting a forcefield around the both of us.

"I will not spare a _single_ one of you if you force my hand, do you hear me?!" I growled, infuriated.

Giovanni gasped, his eyes widening in horror at the sight of me using powers. There was only a handful of Rockets in that room that had experienced the full extent of my power firsthand, perhaps even less. "Stand down!" he shouted immediately, knowing better than to let them fire at the reflective protection I surrounded myself with, "Do not shoot at him unless you want to die!"

Reluctantly, they lowered their weapons. I released the force field for a brief moment to cough up more blood, then activated it again. The members of Team Rocket were staring at me with fear, speaking in hushed tones to each other. The two Pokémon were quickly called back to their Pokéballs.

"How is this possible?" I heard someone ask.

"The device is still functioning, right?"

"He was completely powerless before, where is this coming from?" another whispered.

"Stop this now Mewtwo, you're dying," Giovanni said, though his voice struggled to maintain its calm. "Put the body down and come quietly, it's over."

I laughed, then spat some more blood on the floor.

"Her name," I said quietly, "is Lilly."

"Put Lilly down. You're going to fall with her any second now," he said gently, actually believing that he was convincing me.

"Quite the contrary, Giovanni. . ."

To prove my point, I lifted him several feet off the ground and constricted his airflow with my psychic power. "I am very much alive."

The other Rockets began to panic, but there was nothing they could do to help their leader. "Killing her was your biggest mistake. I would never do what I am about to do if she was still alive to see it," I said menacingly. "Now let us consider your options for a moment."

I thought of the time that I promised Lilly I would stop Giovanni from doing anything like this ever again and grew even angrier. I let him kick in the air for a moment before continuing.

"Shall I rip out your heart?" I asked quietly, easily adopting Giovanni's condescending tone. "A heart for a heart. That is the human adage, is it not?

I paused for a long moment, relishing the sound of Giovanni gasping for air. I wanted to draw this out for as long as I could, just as he did earlier. "No, you do not deserve such an easy escape. I think a more appropriate punishment would be . . . your son. He is about Lilly's age, correct?"

Giovanni's eyes widened at the word "son."

"Perhaps it was 'a life for a life'? My memory is failing, it must be the blood loss," I chuckled, my voice bordering on madness.

"No . . . ! Please!" he wheezed.

"Then, make me a better offer. You do not have much time left."

"There is . . . a low chance of success, but . . . we can attempt to use the technology on her. I'm . . . sorry," Giovanni begged, grabbing at the invisible bonds on his throat.

"Is that . . . your best apology?"

I squeezed a little tighter, laughing when his mouth opened wider.

"Boss! We have to shoot him!" one of the gunmen shouted.

At that moment, I let Giovanni drop to the ground like a ragdoll. He gasped and coughed as air rushed to his lungs. I saw him slowly push himself off of the floor, but he was unable to get to his knees. After they finally saw what I was capable of, some of the grunts began to flee the room.

"If you think . . . I would willingly hand myself over after what you did to her . . ."

I levitated off the ground, preparing a psychic attack.

"You are not SORRY yet!"

Just as I was about to release it, a high-pitched noise sounded. It startled me, and my attack instead went into the heavily reinforced windows across the room, shattering them easily.

_What the . . . ?_

When I looked back to Giovanni, he was sitting upright and staring straight ahead at something. I followed his gaze and nearly dropped Lilly in surprise. The girl with green hair was standing directly below me, staring in his direction. Though I could not see her face from this angle, I recognized her hair and dress.

_Her again? Here?_

She looked frailer in the light, but the way she stood in the blood with her bare feet even sent a shiver down my spine. The admin members next to him also tried to follow his gaze, but from the way they looked back at him, I could tell that nobody else in the room could see the girl aside from the two of us.

_Go_, her voice sounded suddenly, her eyes still fixed on Giovanni, _he won't follow you._

I continued to stare, not sure if I believed her. After a moment, she slowly picked up her foot and began to walk toward Giovanni.

"S-Stop!" he cried out, backing away on his hands, "don't come any closer!"

But she continued to advance, her feet leaving bloody tracks on the metal floor as she walked. I heard some of the members that were left in the room scream when they appeared seemingly out of nowhere.

_"Why did you kill my father?" _she asked, her words slow and her voice flat.

Giovanni stammered, but he was too frightened to say anything coherent.

I finally decided to heed her advice, darting out the window and taking off into the night before anybody could stop me.

* * *

Hi everybody!

Sorry about that extra week, that was kind of a cruel place to leave you all hanging. But this week might also be the same situation while I really refine this ending, as I still have to go to work and make lessons, etc. Also, apologies in advance, these two chapters (36 and 37) are kind of dark and I still get emotional when I think about them tbh. They get lighter after this! For those of you who remember the original version of this chapter, I hope you liked the new ending / dialogue / etc!


	38. Chapter 38

**Chapter 38**

The moon and stars were just beginning to fade from the sky as I sped away from the headquarters, keeping close to trees as to not be spotted. The rush of energy that gave me the strength to leave the hideout was quickly dwindling._ Just a little longer, _I told myself again, doing my utmost to ignore the exhaustion that was setting in.

I was flying as quickly as my dying body allowed, but I was too disoriented to know where I was, or what direction I was heading in. Despite Giovanni's warnings, my only thoughts revolved around finding a town or somebody, anybody that would know how to save Lilly. Large, black spots were appearing in my vision, but I pressed on._ We must be close to somewhere by now . . . right?_

I noticed that I was suddenly flying faster, and my heart nearly stopped when I realized that I was no longer holding Lilly.

_No!_

I sped down and caught her in my arms again before she hit the trees. That mistake depleted the last of my energy, I knew I could go no further. I quickly lost altitude as I lowered both of us toward the tree line and through the branches. Once I was close enough to the ground, I turned on my back and landed in the leaves with a soft thud.

I paused for a moment before releasing my weak grip on Lilly, my arms falling to the ground beside me. The taste of blood was strong in my mouth as I inhaled the crisp night air. At that point, I could not see very well in the dark, but wherever we were, everything was still and quiet. I was grateful to have a brief moment of respite after the chaos from earlier. I laid there and tried to catch my breath, but it was a great effort to continue breathing through the pain. Though she was small, Lilly's weight made it even more of a challenge, but it was of no concern to me.

In those final moments, it was difficult to think about anything at all as I felt myself rapidly lose consciousness. "Li . . . lly . . ."

There was so much I had not said to her, and many more things I would never get to apologize for. Tears began to spill from my eyes again, and I pulled up both my arms from the ground to wrap them around her. She was cold and provided no comfort, but I still held her as tightly as I was able to. My arm shook as I lifted it off her back to search for one of her hands with mine. When I found it, I brought it to my chest and held it there, desperately wanting to transfer any remaining life I had inside of me to her. But it was pointless, as my powers were completely gone by that point.

"I . . . I'm sorry . . ." I managed to whisper.

_I'm sorry you won't see your Pokémon or family again. I'm sorry for ever hurting you. I'm sorry I wasn't strong enough to save either of us. _The list continued on in my head, blurred under a haze of anger at myself for allowing this to happen to her, and hatred for the people who were responsible for her death. I cried out weakly in frustration, trying to look down at Lilly's pale face with the occasional crimson splotch of my dried blood, but I soon lost the strength to keep my head off the ground.

Arceus crossed my mind briefly. Was he also gone forever as a result of her careless action? But to be truthful, my thoughts of him were mostly bitter ones. Where was he when we needed him most? Did he allow Lilly to access the power to save me, but not her as well?

I felt my breath grow shallow and my pulse become faint as the seconds passed. My grip on Lilly began to slacken again, but I refused to let go of her hand. Looking through the trees above, I saw the deep orange glow of the sunrise begin to illuminate the sky, setting it ablaze with color. Breathing a shallow sigh, I closed my eyes and felt the world begin to fade around me.

My eyelids flew open again only seconds later when I felt a burning sensation on my chest.

I did not have the strength to lift Lilly and see what it could possibly be, but it grew stronger with each passing moment. Something bright caught my eye, I knew that it had to be the opal that lay between us. But the pain was no longer greatest where the stone was as the searing pain began to spread all over my body, the agony I felt quickly surpassed that of the bullet wounds. I opened my mouth to scream, but no sound came out. There was a shrill reverberation as a blinding white light obscured the rest of the forest. Then, everything went dark.

Another bright light flashed.

Upon opening my eyes, I was completely surrounded by white. But the surface I laid on was smooth and cool, and I quickly got to my feet. As my eyes adjusted, a strange sense of calm came over me. _Where . . . am I?_

Almost as if to answer, something caught the corner of my eye. I thought I was still watching the sun rise, because the area above me seemed to turn red. As I walked toward it, more colors came into view against the white; deep blues, bold reds, cheerful yellows, and lively greens. They continued to change even after I stopped walking and even began to appear on the sides and the floor below. Like small, shapeless fireworks, they scattered across the white background before fading into nothing, just as the next color exploded.

I looked around, but there was nothing to look at with the exception of the flash of colors. Though I could not see the ground below my feet, I knew that I was standing. Wherever I was, it appeared as though I was completely alone.

_Is this . . . supposed to be what humans call 'hell'?_

"_Definitely _not Hell," a youthful voice suddenly sounded.

I jumped in fright. "You again?!" I asked, turning around so quickly I almost lost my balance.

She was standing several paces away, her feet no longer covered in blood, and looking at me with knowing eyes as she always did. I had only seen her face in the dark previously. In this light, I could clearly see her for the first time. She might have been about half Lilly's age, with deep blue eyes, much paler skin, and a stick-thin frame. Her ankles seemed as thick as the chord behind my head, and her collarbones were very visible. If there was any wind in this place, it likely would have blown her away.

Despite her feeble appearance, I still took a step back, recalling that she deflected my powers in the hideout.

"You . . . why did you interfere back there?" I demanded.

She slowly approached but did not answer my question.

"Why do I keep seeing you? Who are you?" I asked, my voice rising in panic.

"Mewtwo, you really don't remember me?" she asked suddenly.

I gasped at familiar I found her voice when she said my name. Everything else she said afterward was lost instantly.

"How did you know . . . my name?" I asked quietly.

She sighed and pressed her hollow cheeks with her hands as if she was not sure of what to do. Curiosity quickly overcame my fear, and I had many questions. "Have we really met before?"

She shook her head and said, "No, _we've_ never met," before taking a few steps and coming to a stop in front of where I stood. "But . . . I know you. And you know me, too."

I continued to study her face, but I was interrupted when the girl reached out her hand and gazed at me expectantly. I looked at it, unsure of what was to come next. But after allowing myself a moment of deliberation, I trusted her and did so.

I had hardly touched her palm before everything went dark again. Seconds later, we were standing in a dark room. The only light came from the screens and technology that was present I instantly recognized it, the realization hitting me like a punch to the stomach. Five large, empty tubes filled with fluid stood in a semicircle at its center. I looked around for other people, but there was nobody else was in the room. "Do you know this place?" she asked, looking up at me.

I was silent for a moment as I took everything in. "This . . ." I forgot to finish my sentence as I looked around some more, but there was no mistaking where she brought me. Though I was only conscious here briefly, everything was almost exactly as I remembered it. "This is where I first woke up. Where I came into existence."

I completely destroyed this lab on New Island, leaving nothing standing. I even destroyed that castle, especially my lab, that I created on top of it afterward. How were they able to recreate it exactly? Before I could ask her, a body suddenly formed in one of the tubes, surprising me. My eyes went wide, it was the very same little girl who stood next to me.

"I– . . . Impossible!"

I looked from the girl with me, to the girl in the tube, and back again. I took a step closer to the tube, not believing what I saw. "You . . . are you a—?"

"None of this is real," she said, also looking at the body, "these are my memories. After I died, I stayed by my daddy's side and watched it all happen. He was in charge of making . . . oh, there they are."

I had questions about what she meant by "stayed by my daddy's side," and who that person was. But I looked up in time to see Pokémon begin to appear in the other tubes, one after the other: a Squirtle, Charmander, and Bulbasaur. When the last one appeared, I did not recognize it. In the low light, I thought it might have been another human child, but then I saw its large feet and tail.

"That's you," she told me, pointing to the final tube.

I was aghast. "You're mistaken," I said quickly, "I never looked like that."

"It's true, that really is you!" she said again.

I continued to stare at the being she claimed was me. He was perhaps the size of the girl herself, with much rounder features than the ones I had now. _He looks so small, _I thought, still in disbelief, _there was really a time when I was . . . that?_

"We . . . well, you were made here," she continued when I did not respond. "I kind of got to name you, actually," she added afterward, laughing to herself a little.

As the initial shock of seeing myself passed, I began to piece together what she was telling me. "You said . . . your father was the one responsible for my creation, right?"

She nodded confidently and said, "That's right."

I finally recalled her question from the hideout, the one she asked when she approached Giovanni. The first thing I felt was guilt. There was a moment of silence before I tried to explain myself. "I . . . I'm the one who—"

"I already knew that you killed him," she added, understanding my silence, "but that man you were fighting, the leader . . . I know it's really his fault. I forgave you a long time ago."

"But, how?" I asked, shocked, "Aren't you angry?"

"I think . . . maybe I was angry at first because he was my daddy," she admitted. "But even though he was my daddy, I know he wasn't a very nice man. I didn't know at the time, though."

"I don't understand," I said impatiently, looking at her and pointing to the clone in the tube, "that's you, right? Aren't I speaking to the clone right now?"

"Hang on, I have more to show you," the little girl interrupted, and everything instantly went dark again.

"Show me? Can't you just tell me what's going on?" I insisted.

"I _can't_," she replied, her voice bordering on desperate.

"And why not?" I asked defiantly.

She shook her head, then turned to me with determination in her eyes. "You need to . . . you _have _to remember."

Before I could continue to protest, we were suddenly under a blue sky. I looked down instinctively and saw that we were over a suburban neighborhood. I knew I had never been there, yet I had definitely seen it somewhere before. "What is this place?" I asked, frustrated when I could not recognize it myself.

"Do you remember yet? This is where I used to live," she said, then directed my attention further ahead. The five clones were a good distance away, but I could see the girl was pointing to different places on the Earth below excitedly.

"We never actually went here back then, but I was able to share all of this with you using telepathy, just like I am now. I wanted to tell all of you about the home we were gonna wake up to."

I blinked as I finally began to recall everything that she was mentioning as she said it. I watched in fascination as the younger version of myself darted this way and that around the little girl and the other Pokémon. We were all laughing together. _I . . . wasn't always alone?_ When I saw him smiling that way, I felt a dull ache in my chest. Somehow, it was all beginning to come back to me.

"Then . . . what happened?" I whispered hesitantly.

Without warning, the scene around us turned black again. Alarms could be heard faintly in the distance.

The Pokémon looked around in confusion, then the Squirtle exclaimed as he slowly began to fade away into nothing. He was quickly followed by the Bulbasaur and Charmander. I watched as the smile instantly disappeared and tears formed in the eyes of the younger version of myself. The little girl approached me, saying something I could not quite make out from where I was before gently wiping them away. I cried out and tried to grab at her, but she was fading away as well.

"What's happening? Why are they failing?" I turned and asked the girl.

"You asked her that back then, too. But I still don't know, even now," the girl next to me replied quietly, still staring ahead at the two clones.

I suddenly realized that the weight in my chest from earlier was back again as I watched this event unfold. I reached out toward the image of myself from years ago, but I did not dare approach it. He began looking around in confusion, searching for any sign of his companions.

_"No, you can't leave! I . . . I need to save my friends! I have to!"_

The moment I heard myself think those words, I gasped.

I could see this happening, but we were also back at the laboratory. People were scrambling to right the situation, pulling different levers and flipping switches as the alarms steadily grew louder. The other tubes were empty, but mine was still visible. He was writhing with his eyes were wide open, but he did not seem to be looking at anything. The monitors surrounding my tube appeared to be displaying some data that was clearly concerning to the scientists. "We can't lose him, too," someone looked over their shoulder and cried out, "this will all have been for nothing!"

"We have no choice, then! Erase the memories!"

"Get him stable!"

His head was in his hands as he curled up into a ball and finally became still. The monitors on his tube gradually began to resume normal activity. Everything went black once again.

Almost exactly like in the vision, the little girl came up to my height and gently wiped the tears off my face with her small thumbs. As soon as I saw her that time, the answer to all the questions I had, at last, became clear.

"A . . . Amber," I said finally.

Amber sighed and smiled enthusiastically as if she had been waiting to hear that for a very long time. "Yes, that's my name!"

"I remember," I choked out, "Your name is Amber, and I . . . I remember you!"

She reached out and hugged me with all the strength she had in her little body. I hugged her back and levitated off the ground. Everything about her was exactly the same as it was then, and the nostalgia was almost too overwhelming for me to bear.

"Ever since that day," she said into my shoulder, "I've been watching you."

"You have? For all these years?"

I felt her nod before she continued, "Even if you didn't know I was there, I remember how sad you were when my clone left. I didn't want to leave you here all alone. But lately, you've been seeing me because I've been trying to tell you something important."

"I . . . I know." I laughed through my tears, "I understand why you were so adamant now. I had no idea that any of this . . . I never knew this part of myself."

"You don't have to be alone!" She backed away, looking at me excitedly, "I know you were born kind because you cared so much about us. You were_ always_ able to be good."

I nodded, finally collecting myself. "But also, you already loved Lilly," she continued, "you just didn't believe that you could do that, either."

My breath caught in my throat. I let go of the girl and backed away, remembering what had come to pass. "I . . . Amber, I . . ."

Another thought suddenly occurred to me, and I stopped breathing for a moment as I processed the idea of never seeing her again. It felt as though all the air had left me, I could not speak for a moment. "Mewtwo?" she asked, confused by my response.

"Oh," I finally gasped. I sank to my knees, still unable to breathe.

I heard the girl alight on the ground in front of me, but I did not look up. "Why are you—?"

"I'll . . . I'll never be able to tell her now!" I managed to say before I began to sob violently.

"Wait, but—"

"She's dead, Amber! I can't . . . _tell_ her any of that," I gasped out. "After all of this . . . after everything—"

I suddenly felt her small hands on my shoulders. "Mewtwo, wait a minute," she shouted over me, "she's going to be okay!"

I looked up to see Amber standing on her feet. "Don't you know where we are? She must still be alive, that's the only way we can be in here."

Nothing she said made sense to me, and I grew angry. "What the hell are you saying? I held her corpse in my arms for an _hour_! Of course she's dead!"

"No, she's alive. She must be, I feel her in here."

I stared at her in confusion, waiting for her to explain further.

"Oh, that's right, you really don't know where we are," she clapped her hands together, finally realizing that I did not understand at all.

The white room I first saw appeared, along with the random bursts of color. "This Opal is Lilly. I found this when you two first met, and I usually stayed in here because it's safe. But since you were the only one alive who had seen me, it gave me the energy to appear in front of you and Giovanni, and also to hug you like I just did. If she were dead, this . . . room wouldn't be here."

"You mean . . . we're inside of the opal she wears around her neck?"

"Yeah, but, it's a lot more than just a necklace. This . . . all of this _is_ Lilly," she said with more emphasis.

"I . . . I don't understand. It is nothing more than a stone containing Arceus, right?" I asked, looking around for her.

She sighed, "You'll get it someday. I don't think I would explain it very well. But you'll see her soon, I just know it."

"Lilly is . . . she's . . . she survived?"

Though I was struck by her cryptic response, her conviction was so strong that I could not help but trust her. I remained on my knees and put my head in my hands, relieved beyond words.

"Besides, it's time for me to go now." I looked back up at her and saw that she had come very close to me. She was beginning to glow faintly and fade away as she did in the vision she shared with me only minutes ago.

I was surprised. "Wait, you're leaving?"

"I have to, I'm . . . going to where I belong," she said, her voice cracking at the end of her sentence.

Suddenly, tears were running down her own face. "Why are you crying?" I asked, growing concerned. "Do you want to stay here?"

"No, no, I'm sorry," she said, wiping her eyes, "I'm not sad."

"Humans cry when they are not sad?" I asked, baffled.

"Yes, and Pokémon too," she laughed.

I was still confused. "Then, what are you feeling?"

"I'm . . . very happy. You're finally going to get the love you deserve. I can rest knowing that you'll be happy."

"I'm also happy," I said in reply. "I'm grateful that I got to see you one last time, and that I could remember you."

I threw my arms around her and stood up again, overflowing with more gratitude than I ever knew I could feel. "Thank you, Amber, for looking after me for all this time." She pulled away and smiled through the tears running down her face. "I won't forget what you did!" I said, feeling tears come to my own eyes again.

The light and her touch began to fade at the same time. "Tell her . . . that her life is a gift!" she called out to me, but her voice seemed like an echo as my vision grew dark.

* * *

**Author's note:** After the reviews I got this week, I knew most of your questions would be answered with this next chapter so I worked really hard to make sure it was ready to go. But now I can't STOP working on it so I'm posting it before I lose my mind (it is TECHNICALLY wednesday in my country!)

I hope you enjoyed! This was probably one of the most difficult chapters for me to write and I'll probably revise it again in the future, but I'm pleased with how far its come! I'm going on vacation to the beach starting today so the next chapter will definitely take two weeks, but I have a little surprise for you all with that chapter!

Stay safe and stay healthy!


	39. Q&A Time

Hello! Since I'm still getting questions as reviews, I'm just going to continue to answer them here.

*If you're not caught up, be careful! There are spoilers!*

**Q1**: _Will we hear Lilly sing again?_

**A1**: I posted this because someone also wrote another review about Lilly having any musical talent, which is really sweet but unfortunately she does not! She's never had time to pick up an instrument. But it's funny y'all wrote this because I'm a musician.

**Q2**(not really but): _Honestly Lilly being shipped with someone later would ruin the focus of the story_

**A2**: I understand your point but ...

**Q3**(also not really): _The song everything's alright by to the moon from Laura something fits this fic sooo well! It's a beautiful song that talks about the moon with just a piano! It's soo fits Lilly!_

**A3**: I almost cried at this review because I LOVE "To The Moon" and all the music from it! I have a playlist that I listen to when I write this fic and I added it because you're so right! Maybe I'll post my playlist once this part of the fic is finished.

**Q4**: _So like the necklace contains the soul of Lilly?_

**A4**: We'll get an explanation before the conclusion of this fic I PROMISE but I just wanted to say here, if you look carefully you can see every single piece of media that has influenced this story over the years (again, started writing this back in 2009). The Opal concept was always there, but I kind of tweaked it over the years.

**Q5**: _Big question, why is Arceus with Lilly? What does Arceus need from her and why her?_

**A5**: This kind of goes with Q4, but we'll get an answer with the end of this fic. Lilly has never gotten a straight answer either though, and it's (obviously) caused her a lot of turmoil.

**Q6**: _This reminded me the Arceus thing with Lilly reminds me of the Hoopa movie where the humans also had a power from Arceus I think_

**A6**: Wow, really? I've honestly been procrastinating on watching any of the mid-new pokemon movies (think post manaphy movie, whatever that was called) because I KNOW I'll get too invested in the stories/lore. But I think it's probably really important for me to watch those, ESPECIALLY the Arceus one.

**Q7**: _You could publish it on quotev or archive of our own, other two major fan fiction sites I know of. Also I am all for Lilly getting shipped with someone if she breaks up with that person later XD I agree that ships are annoying but it's your story in the end plus there is always headcanons to save everyone._

**A7**: Thanks for the tips! And I want to clarify, I'm not about to aggressively pair her with someone, but me writing this fic is also kind of an exercise on different kinds of relationships and how they interact with each other. I'm obviously all for platonic relationships, but is it possible for them to coexist with romantic ones? Like the people who are writing reviews saying "she can only love Mewtwo!" are kind of proving the opposite point that I'm hoping to make eventually. I'm not mad about it, it's just interesting to see what other readers think.

**Q8**: _Oh yeah please do post your music playlist! Will Lilly ever get an existential crisis and talk about philosophy with mewtwo similar to mewtwo returns? Also what sort of activities does Lilly and mewtwo like to do together, like hobbies I mean?_

**A8: **Will do! And I'm sure they will in the future, I think it would be interesting to see their views on those kinds of subjects. Once they have TIME for hobbies, they'll probably get more into cooking together. In the future, I hope to make little lighthearted illustrations about them to pass the time between fics, but that's only once I get good at it. Stay tuned for that, though!

**Q9: **_Are mewtwo and Lilly like soulmates? Could it always be just mewtwo and Lilly? Like Lilo and Stitch? XD_

**A9**: Lilo and Stitch is almost _exactly_ the vibe I'm going for, and I'm so glad you see it!

**Q10**: _How long does it take you to write a chapter? Like the process? Do you daydream and write as you go, or you first get the whole idea and then you write? Thanks for the answers! This is awesome!_

**A10**: This probably isn't what you want to hear, but about half of this has been written for a few years. I was about to say a higher percentage but then I realized that I've nearly doubled the word count in this fic even in just the last year or two alone, I'm pretty proud of myself for it! But when I write a chapter, I'm always trying to figure out what part of the plot needs to be addressed most urgently, what development needs to happen, and I proceed based on that. Normally when I get an idea I write down the barebones of the chapter (no matter how short it is), then I edit from there. But I am also CONSTANTLY daydreaming and playing with ideas in my head, and I usually always have my laptop with me (or my notebook) and jot down notes as they come up. Thanks for your question!

**Q11:** _My question is ...a strange one but if Lilly and Mewtwo shared a blog, what would they post about? I think people are just tired of seeing the same sort of stories, and most deal with romantic stuff l(the how to balance romance with friends) like it's over-done and want something new, almost like if they were looking for representations in fiction of other kinds of ...ways of living? Like not everybody needs a love interest in life (or stories) and "predictable unoriginal" stuff like that, I guess it's a minority that feels alone in their thinking even though I agree with where they are coming from and #friendshipAndFamilyNeedStoriesandValueTooRights type of thing at the same time no need to get agressive and upset, at the same time it means they really care about your characters haha honestly it would be awesome to see the guardian (mewtwo) vs Lilly's aunt relationship dynamic assuming her aunt raised Lilly a little bit and like they disagreeing in what Lilly should do or in little dumb situations or on How to protect Lilly..etc know what I mean that could be fun and comedic I can see mewtwo getting too protective and opinionated XD Sorry for the long essay I enjoy getting into philosophical stuff._

**A11: **No by all means, I love talking about this. I think if they shared a blog, they would probably talk about places they travel to and Pokémon they meet. And you're so right about the need for representation, I think the younger version of myself also needed that and that was why she started writing this! But I remember feeling so conflicted toward myself for several years because having grown up watching my favorite media (a:tla, pokemon, etc) I didn't understand that this dynamic *could* exist and I kept asking myself "why exactly am I writing this?" And your answer here has helped me work through that even more. I don't want to comment too much on the latter part of your question, but you'll get your answer on that soon for sure!  
Edit: I thought of this later, but when I watched Violet Evergarden for the first time I remember thinking to myself "Finally, a non-romantic relationship between a man and a girl!" But then ... ?! I get that they weren't THAT far apart in age, but it was still uncomfortable, because their relationship isn't all that different in every other aspect. (if you haven't seen Violet Evergarden, I do highly recommend it.)

**Q12**: _If you could compare mewtwo and Lilly to another fictional pair which one would it be? :) _  
_And well...i guess it makes sense being against romance in Pokemon since it's not a franchise that focuses on it, it's always been about Pokemon and human interactions, I think that's more Twilight saga area (shrugs). By the way what would happen if mewtwo and Lilly encountered Silver(Giovanni's son) at one point since you mentioned him and he is a trainer with an interesting story in the games?_

**A12**: Someone said "lilo and stitch" earlier, and honestly that's the best comparison I've heard in a while. But also if you've seen steven universe...I'm kind of leaning toward a steven/garnet vibe? It's hard for me to pinpoint a good comparison because I'm not sure I've seen an example of it closer than lilo and stitch? If anybody has any suggestions for what to watch, feel free to throw some at me (edit: my friend JUST told me about "the half of it" and I have a feeling that will be extremely relevant so I'll watch it later). Lilly's personality is not similar to Steven's, but the relationship itself kind of. Also comparing adding any romance to this fic to the twilight series hurt me so deep, and I really have to respectfully disagree with you. And as for the last part of your question...*insert "we'll get there when we get there" meme* heheheh

**Q13**: _This is a great idea to wait for the next chapter and get to know the characters more! If real world religions existed in Pokemon would Lilly be of any of them?_

**A13**: Thanks! I actually hope to do an "RP" style one with Lilly and Mewtwo answering in the near future, idk what they're called but they seem fun whenever I see them. And wow, y'all are really hitting the plot hard with some of these questions, huh...I think she's kind of a conglomerate of a few (as most religions are in my experience) but I don't want to say TOO much for reasons stated in **A5**. But now I'm starting to think I should watch/read about the Arceus movie before writing that chapter because I don't want to go too hard against canon stuff.

**Q14** (followup to **Q12**):_ Sorry :{ I did not mean to compare your fic with Twilight (your fic is obviously ummmm like galaxies away better? You know what I mean) I just wanted to provide an example of a romance focused franchise but that's a bad one. you know? A great one would be Disney's Tangled in my opinion, that is so much better and gets the message across better I think, anyways . I just realized that the perfect pair comparison could be Dreamworks Peabody and Sherman movie actually, in terms of relationship dynamic XD sounds crazy but strikes me a really similar vibe to Lilly and Mewtwo in terms of how they interact. I even want to watch that movie again now! Sorry again!_

**A14**: Oh no need to apologize, I misunderstood! I've never watched Peabody and Sherman but I'll have to check it out! And now I think I understand what you're saying. Thanks for clarifying!

**Q15**: _Giovanni was written so well I wanted to ask if you got inspired from his game personality where he redeems himself instead of the Anime's personality of him?_

**A15**: If I'm being honest, I only know "game Giovanni", meaning the only anime Giovanni I know is from the first movie! I really love the way that he's made out to be irredeemable in the anime, but I also really liked the idea of him having a soft spot for kids because he has one (even if their relationship sucks maybe?). But I also love the idea that some of his subordinates are greedy / take matters into their own hands when he's not looking. Basically, I have the most fun writing villain/misunderstood characters.

**Q16:** _When writing Lilly, did you have in mind how to give her like her own personality but like with a reference on how a 12 year old might still act? I think she was written very realistically in that regard._

**A16**: Writing original characters is still a challenge for me some days. I've been "living with Lilly" for a decade now, and I'm still working out her personality! I started this when I was in middle school and although _a lot_ of things were made since then, I really try to keep some of her dialogue that I wrote back then because that's the most accurate to what a kid would say. But since I'm not a kid now, I pay attention to what feels realistic and what feels like a stretch when I watch shows or read books that have young characters (I especially love animation, of course). I think I can write her character easily because I love to analyze the characters in the media that I watch. (I will also add that my current occupation has me around kids often!)

**Q17:** _How do you keep mewtwo in character in every chapter with what he would say and do ..etc?_

**A17:** Wow, glad I get to answer these back to back. Equally glad that you think he's very consistent! I think Mewtwo's character is so solidly set in my mind from watching the movie that it's difficult for me to deviate from it, but I (hopefully) added some other dimensions to him that readers might not have gotten to see in the movies (although I haven't seen Mewtwo Returns for the same reasons mentioned in **A6 **(procrastinating, worried that this will change the entire story, etc. I even had to google some stuff from the movie for the conversation between Ash and Lilly because I couldn't bear to watch it).

**Q18: **_Why do you like mewtwo as a character?_

**A18: **Similarly to my answer in **A15**, there's no character type I love to watch/read/write more than his (think Zuko [A:tlA], Pink Diamond / Peridot [Steven Universe], I actually think he's most similar to Scar [FMA:B], I hesitate to say it because I don't like him, but Snape [Harry Potter], I could go on). The character who is afraid to let their guard down, but does anyway. The character who is so sure that they are doing the right thing, only to eventually realize that they aren't. The character who feels like it's them against the world. I LIVE for that trope. But when it comes to Mewtwo, I think that the prologue to his movie was what made me fall in love with his character (as you all would have just read). Because it SHOWS you that he was once just an innocent "Pokémon," I think that side of him was what made me realize how complicated of a character he was. I thought it was so heartbreaking that he never got to go back to that point in his life (if that happens in Mewtwo Returns DO NOT tell me, I'll watch it eventually I promise!). I also liked the lesson he learned during the first movie, and that he realized he could make his own purpose. He has a spine and will not hesitate to fight for what he thinks is right, even if he stands alone. I could go on for a while, but I think you get the point!

**Q19**: _Hi! hope you are doing well. My question would be, is there a chracter either from pokemon or another story that you thought would be hilarious if mewtwo and lilly met or interacted with? Reading last answer you should really watch the japanese version of first movie and mewtwo returns (the sub) because surprisingly your take on mewtwo reminds me more of japanese mewtwo (original written) though sometimes he does behave like the english version in your story (makes sense) but it is interesting cause it means that once you analyze mewtwo to the core both mewtwos have similar, well cores, even though they differ slightly. I just get the vibe that you might like Japanese mewtwo a lot. Thank you for writing and sharing this story D_

**A19:** Oh wow, I've never thought about this, but now that you've got me thinking about it I have an entire list. I think most of the above characters would be quite interesting, but I think if they're BOTH meeting this character, maybe Zuko? Lilly would be fascinated (and probably also intimidated) by Firebending since it's similar to what (she thinks) are her powers, but Mewtwo would probably get jealous because Zuko is able to control fire and he doesn't _really_ have that power. Zuko would probably be wary of Mewtwo because of how powerful he is. Eventually, Mewtwo would probably pick Zuko's brain about Firebending. Completely irrelevant, but I think if they met N together, they would all find something in common.  
Well now I'm curious! I never considered the possibility of the difference in language to be so significant between the two. I never got around to watching the Japanese versions, I think because listening to Mewtwo speak English was really important to write some of this dialogue. But now that I'm so far in, I might as well do it. Thanks!

**Q20:** ... _And best of all one of the few shows that don't push any political agendas, or any political-service whatsoever.(looking at you LGTBHNHNMJNHJKN WHATEVER)_

**A20:** I wasn't going to post this, but in hopes that it is a misunderstanding on my part, I will. I'm not posting the rest of your question because this was all I saw. Because as a _bi person_, I have to say all of my favorite media contains between one and infinity LGBT couples. This author is a proud member of the **LGBTQIA** community, and since it's my fic, this fic is too. There is no such thing as "political service" when it comes to LGBT+ content in media because LGBT+ people exist in real life. This fic is a place where people of all genders and sexualities are welcome (and will be represented later, if I publish that far).

**Q21** (in reference to **A11**): _Honestly I think in Violet Evergarden the type of love they explore is meant to be abstract and unique, like the essence of what true love is._

**A21: **I really *want* it to be what you just said because it was so similar to how I tried to write my own characters, but I really don't think that was the original intent. I _think_ we're supposed to think Violet is in love with Gilbert. Which I wouldn't have a problem with were it not for their relationship at the beginning of the anime. I get the argument that "she never had a childhood so was she really a child?" but like...she was a child. Anyway, to this day I'm still confused about what we were supposed to think.

**Q22:** _I would say Little witch academia is another great anime if you are interested, if you have Netflix you can find it easily on the kids zone._

**A22: **I started LWA a while back, actually! I adored the characters and the story, but I stopped watching for some reason. I'll definitely revisit it when I can. Thanks for the suggestion!

**Q23:** _I saw somewhere that somebody commented that the director or writer intended for violet Evergarden to be about familial love and show it explaining how it is supposed to be about a HUMANS' need for love and affection from persons even if not related in some way, like how you might appreciate a hug from a stranger because that person reached out to you that type of way. Which is what Gilbert does he reached out to Violet when no one did at the time despite being a stranger and why a person can mean something to you because of that. It makes sense for violet to be so robotic and ask what is love in this context, like starting from zero and simply learning to love a human._

**A23:** Okay, I think I'm starting to understand. Thanks everybody for taking the time to explain to me! I still loved the show despite my reservations about all that, but it's nice to look at it from this angle, too.

**Q24: **_You have to listen to Small folk band they compose songs based on fiction, I was listening to their song "billy saves the day" and thought that it really suited the beginning of chapter 38. And the rest with the song"the hurt is good"._

**A24: **Wow you're really trying to make me cry today, huh. Add Billy to the list of "villain with a redemption" in **A18**, I cried when I watched that episode.

**Q25:** _Is the end of this fic near?_

**A25: **It is, indeed! I can't believe it.  
I'm still working out where I'm taking this next. There will be a hiatus while I solidify the storyline/events to come next. but in the meantime, I'm really hoping to get good enough at drawing to make simple little illustrations about them doing things. I'll be sure to update you with more info at the conclusion of this part of the fic!

**Q26:**_ If you know what mbti is what would be Lilly s?_

**A26:** I actually have never taken this test for her, and I feel like a fool for not having done so earlier. According to the description, it looks like I got her pretty spot on. Lilly is an ENFP-T! I'd always worried that I made her too much like me (I'm an INFP) so seeing this was a little disappointing. But in the end, I guess it's not really a bad thing. won't let me insert a website link so if you want to read more about her results just google:  
enfp-t strengths and weaknesses.

**Q27: **_What would be Mewtwo's and Lilly's favorite animated movie to watch together?_

**A27: **I had to think for a while about this one, but I think Monster's Inc would be their favorite ◡̈

**Q28:** _Pleease could we get a little sneak peek of next chapter or some minuscule info? Pleeeeease?_

**A28:** I feel like anything I say will spoil too much! I'll just say that this next chapter is from Mewtwo's perspective AGAIN (idk unless i change my mind between now and next week)

**Q29:** _Why did you pick Monster's inc, just curious...? Also Mewtwo and Lilly's song?_

**A29:** I think they would like that they could relate to Sully and Boo! Plus it's a good story. What movie do YOU think they would like? As for their song...wait for the playlist heheh

**Q30:** _I found hilarious how mewtwo lies and tries to manipulate situations as a bad habit he picked out probably from Giovanni and then so obviously pretends in front of Lilly he does not XD would Lilly ever mock him for it? Also from a psychological standpoint, why does he do that? Why doesn't he admit that he DOES lie?_

**A30: **I was about to defend him when answering this, but then I remembered that he DID lie about eavesdropping on more than one occasion. But I can't think of other examples, was there something else he lied about? It's a weird defense mechanism/trust issue thing he has where he doesn't see the harm in telling lies he perceives as "harmless", but he's working on it. But upon being caught for "harmless" things ("did you know that they make jello out of Tentacools?" or something like that), I think Lilly would mock him for it and he'd keep insisting it was true, just to make her laugh.

**Q31:** (in reference to **Q20**): _Hello again, I was left worried if my apology and explanation was hurtful again?_

**A31:** I do not wish to talk about this subject on this page, nor will I spend time debating whether people have a right to exist or validating myself to anybody. Countless people have died for trying to be themselves or love who they wanted to, and I thank whatever deity is out there every day that I live in a time where I don't have to worry (as much) about that. I don't know your age, country of origin, or religious beliefs, so it's difficult to decide how I should react to your statements in my review inbox. In any case, I will recommend that you watch "the half of it" (on netflix), maybe that will help you understand.

**Q32:** Would mewtwo like king fu panda 2?

**A32:** This is oddly specific and I've never seen kung fu panda 2? But I liked the first one! I think he might also like it because Po made his own path and became the best version of himself (also, who doesn't like Jack Black?).

**Q33** (in reference to **Q30**): Well mewtwo also lied about team rocket being in Hoenn at dinner with Ash and pretended to have a headache to avoid Lilly's questions.

**A33**: AH yes I understand what you mean now. In reference to those specific times, he was doing that because he was conflicted about leaving. But I don't think that gives him the "liar" trait because he did not think Lilly would be hurt by the truth if she found out. But idk, maybe I'm biased haha.

**Q34:** Mewtwo believes he is rational but it seems he makes decisions based on his emotions first and then uses logic to justify them XD would that be correct?

**A34:** Yes, that would be a correct assumption!

**Q35:** Would mewtwo and Lilly dance to electric light orchestra "shine a little love"? XD

**A35:** Bold of you to assume Mewtwo is willing to dance at all! But maybe, if Lilly asks nicely...

**Q36:** What would be mewtwo's opinion on fashion? Would he give Lilly advice on that?

**A36:** Mewtwo's idea of "fashion" is every piece of the outfit being of the same color. Will definitely illustrate this one later, I can already imagine it perfectly.

**Q37:** It is sort of confirmed that Violet and Gilbert have a paternal relationship since Taichi ishidate has commented in interviews that he regards Violet as a daughter figure and hopes that the audience sees her the same way.

**A37:** Whew, love to see it! Thanks for the update on that.

**Q38:** Why did Lilly cry when mewtwo said to her that he knew she loved him? Also why did mewtwo not answer her why he cared to read her thoughts? Also why is he so interested in reading her thoughts? This is in chapter 16.

**A38:** Oof, sorry if you had to read through a zillion spoilers to get to this response. A) Lilly was embarrassed to be that vulnerable around someone who (she thought) could not do the same. B[and also C]) At the time, he didn't really know why either. But in general Mewtwo's attitude toward reading minds is "I can, so why not?" which is kind of intrusive of him. Someone should really get him to stop doing that, or something.

**Q39:** Were there other alternative ideas that you had in mind for other chapters that we have read? What would be an example of one? Thanks!

**A39:** This is a really boring answer, but I didn't have too many alternative ideas actually. I DID have a scenario where Lilly and Mewtwo visited Cinnebar Island, met Blaine (as a nod to the pokemon adventures manga), went into the Pokémon mansion, etc, but the Sevii Islands / safari zone chapters kind of replaced that little arc.

**Q40:** Hi! If Lilly wasnt a trainer what would she be? what things does mewtwo like in your story also? like arts or science...etc? i was wondering, are there any good anime child friendly focused on friendship that you could recommend? thanks! i currently havent found any interesting ones, only lightning and sweetness and bunny drop but that is only a slice of life show, a good one though, but still a slice of life.

**A40: **WELL for one, I think she'd be in school. But if we're taking that out of the equation and we're still in the Pokémon world, I think she'd work at a Pokémon daycare! But if we're ALSO taking Pokémon out of the equation...I've never really thought about that. I'm gonna think on this and get back to you with an answer! Also, Mewtwo's definitely into science (esp biology), but maybe he'll get into some artsy things in the future once there's time (!).

Boy, do I have some recs for you! Most of the things I like do still have some romantic aspects and I'm a huge supporter of LGBT content in shows (I personally don't think anybody is too young to understand the concept "love is love"), but if you don't mind a little bit of that then I think you'll still like these:  
\- Not anime, but _Steven Universe_ is mainly focused on friendships (there's SOME romance in it but it's not over-the-top) and growth, I highly recommend that one.  
\- (Also not Anime but) If you HAVEN'T seen _Avatar: the Last Airbender_ please consider watching! I think it's coming to U.S. Netflix soon? This is a HUGE one for friendships and also my favorite TV series of all time.  
\- I think someone up there recommended the TV Series _Tangled_ (Rapunzel). I don't know where to watch it, but I've also heard very good things about it.  
\- _Little Witch Academia_ has a great story and has only ONE dude in it, so I think you're safe from the standard "forced hetero romance" there (I haven't finished it yet but I plan on doing that soon).  
\- (Not Anime) _The Dragon Prince_ was sooooo good, I'm still not over it. There's ONE new couple that comes out of it toward the end of the most recent season, but it's nothing over the top.  
I could keep listing but I don't want to crowd the Q&A, feel free to send me a dm if you want more recs or want to talk about these shows!

**Q41: **Where can we see the art?

**A41: **Shoot, I just realized that you guys can only see the avatar/cover art! I thought I was going to have more time before I needed to do this, but I guess there's no time like the present. Starting now, I'm going to make social media accounts for this fic! You can find it at the following:  
Twitter: untitled_fic_  
Instagram: untitled_fic_  
This website won't let me add the "at" symbol but don't forget to add that first when you search. You can find more art at those accounts, including the surprise that I had commissioned for this upcoming chapter! (I've been contemplating uploading chapters and art to Tumblr as well, but more on that later.)

**Q42:** How would Mewtwo take care of Lilly if she was sick?

**A42:** Mewtwo's never been sick and also doesn't know THAT much about human biology, so he would most likely buy every otc medication and present them to Lilly, who unfortunately is even more clueless about being sick and at which point calls one of her many Aunts for advice (but most likely the Kanto Aunt [name redacted] because she's a nurse).

**Q43:** Would mewtwo like roller coasters? Or perhaps the more in-world decorated ones like in Disney world?

**A43:** I'm not 100% sure about what you mean by "in-world decorated", but as for rollercoasters Mewtwo's afraid because you can't control where the rollercoaster goes! He doesn't like how unpredictable it feels compared to when he flies.

**Q44:** Did mewtwo forgot to tell Lilly that her life is a gift like Amber said?

**A44:** Didn't forget! You'll see.

**Q45:** Will there be light-hearted one-shots with Lilly and mewtwo after this fic? Like little insides into life after this story?

**A45:** That's actually what the "comics" will be for! Ope, I suppose I didn't talk about these yet, I'll be sure to mention them in my profile. But I do also have a few of these in written form, though.

**Q46:** Won't Lilly thank mewtwo for the flowers he brought before he got angry? Also with decorated roller coasters I meant like the avatar attraction where you go on a boat inside a cave for example, or space mountain Disneyland Paris?

**A46:** EDIT: Actually I'm glad you caught that because that was NOT one of the things he took out of her bag and it SHOULD have been! Gonna go back and add that in right now!  
We have space mountain in disney world, too! (I'm American) I think he might get bored of the "it's a small world" ride, but rollercoaster are scary...hmm...perhaps the ferris wheel might be his favorite, he likes to make a game out of predicting when it will stop! I'm sure she'll thank him when they have a moment, but as it stands Mewtwo was like "alright, sappy time's over, we gotta get out of here" lol

**Q47:** Just listened to the songs! How beautiful! I especially wanted to ask the song innocence from Violet Evergarden in what part of the story goes? Also I think you would love the story kingdom hearts days 368 story cutscenes, similar vibe. Easy to find on you tube by just typing that.

**A47:** I'll have to check that out, I love listening to any music from Kingdom Hearts (even though I've only ever played 10 minutes of Kingdom Hearts 2...). I'm so glad you like them! Which is your favorite? It's so hard for me to pick a favorite but I think the most applicable is "Love Like You"! For anybody else reading this, unfortunately I can't link it here but you can find it in my profile! If I'm being honest, when writing Chapter 38 (with Amber) I was listening to that and "Always Watching Over You" on repeat to get into the right mindset of being nostalgic / sentimental / lighthearted. After writing heavy chapters like 36 and 37, I needed to find a way to cheer up! All of the instrumentals on that album are incredible, I use some of the sadder ones for future chapters and they just . . . *chefs kiss* hit right. Evan Call did such a great job with this album, I love his work.

**Q48:** What song do you think mewtwo would like? And Lilly? Also do you think this song fits Lilly and mewtwo?

**A48:** On the playlist or just any song? I think at this point, Lilly would like any music that's easy to listen to (think, like, Taylor Swift), Mewtwo would be into classical music because he thinks any other music is not worth listening to, but perhaps we'll see him change his mind in the future...!  
Your link didn't work at first because this website is very picky about when it allows links, but after some sleuthing, I figured it out! I think it fits better later (no spoilers, but...), but I also only know the basic story to Kingdom Hearts! I should try the games sometime...the story feels so overwhelmingly complicated based on what was explained to me, though!

**Q49(in reference to Ch 39)**: Reading it again, I love how mewtwo puts being with Lilly first priority and not his survival, adorable!

**A49:** This will come up later, but Lilly helped him realized (even more so than before) that he could do as he pleased with his life after seeing her do what she wanted with hers in spite of being attached to a literal God, and therefore kind of cementing her destiny. He wants to make sure she also has all the opportunity to live her life the way she wants to.

**Q50:** One more question please! Do you see Lilly and Mewtwo singing "I see the light" from Tangled? Or perhaps "your song" from Elton John? Thanks tons!

**A50:** Honestly the scene with "I see the light" is FOREVER cemented in my brain as being super romantic (The way Flynn LOOKS at her makes me melt every time) BUT I still think they would sing it because it's a really sweet song. They'd definitely sing "Your Song" though! Such a great one, I'll have to draw that out later.

**Q51**: Yeah the I see the light scene is romantic but when you just watch a lyrics video of it without seeing the scene, you can really picture just anybody singing it, be it sisters, or a parent to daughter, best friends...etc no need to know the story of kingdom hearts for the KH days 368 since it's mostly the character interactions and deep dialogue that are really worth it and the rest is explained in the story warning:really really sadXD Here it is! It's like a movie since it does not include gameplay watch?vmY6kflxFbek

**A51:** Wait, is this just all the cutscenes from KH?! This would have been useful earlier, idk why my friends didn't tell me about it. Thanks!

**Q52:** Started seeing violet evergarden since you hyped it up i skipped ep 5 though, too cringey, and was wondering if in a later part of the fic, perhaps the next, the roles will be reversed and it will be mewtwo the one to die and perhaps return like Gilbert? At least a hint?

**A52:** Understandable, if it's not your genre of anime it can be a little slow in the beginning!

**Q53:** Wait...Lilly and mewtwo will get separated in the future? NOOOOOO! Will they return to each other? PLEEASE GOT TO KNOW!

**A53:** *zip*

**Q54:** Oh no, i skipped episode 5 not because it was slow, but because I didn't like that episode, but I did like the rest :) and wasn't really slow, also I don't usually like traditional anime style but the show looks beautiful! Also will mewtwo "die" or die in the future?

**A54:** OH okay, I see. And omg, y'all are really out here trying to get answers out of me ... but I ain't talking !

**Q55:** If mewtwo found himself in a situation where he would have to give up all his psychic powers to someone or something else or else Lilly would die, would he do it?

**A55: **Wow, that's kind of a really big part of his identity as a Pokémon / not Pokémon. He absolutely would, but it would seriously depress him for a while.

**Q56:** Have we seen the last of team rocket, or will they go after them again?

**A56:** *insert "wouldn't you like to know, weather boy" meme here*

**Q57:** In what ways would you say mewtwo changed thanks to Lilly?

**A57:** Oh no, if you're asking me this question I worry that I didn't do a good job of showing it in the fic D: I think there are several answers for this, but the key ones are  
1) a [stronger] sense of compassion,  
2) e,  
3) he seems to be able to loosen up a little bit more! you'll see more of this side of him post ch 39.

**Q58:** Has Giovanni changed after he almost killed a child?

**A58:** This MIGHT be addressed later idk you'll just have to find out maybe hmm...  
**EDIT:** I thought about this some more and wanted to add to it.  
I think this scene is really important because, before this, Lilly knew one version of Giovanni (the one she battled with as a gym leader, said he'd disband Team Rocket [an empty promise, of course, to get her off his case]), while Mewtwo knows another. Also, Lilly thought that because Giovanni didn't personally do a lot of the bad things Mewtwo has seen him do, he's not as bad of a person Mewtwo thinks he is. But Lilly seeing Giovanni about to kill Mewtwo himself really changed the way she saw him. Lilly was in denial because she didn't want to believe someone she had battled as a gym leader could be that person, and there was another reason she was in denial, which will be revealed soon :-)

**Q59:** if Lilly were to lose mewtwo, would she be willing to sacrifice everything she has built for herself in order to never lose him?

**A59:** But if she had already lost him, what good would that do? Mewtwo wouldn't want that at all~

**Q60:** Would this song fit mewtwo and Lilly too? X)

**A60:** I gasped when I saw that it was The Cranberries, nice pick! But this doesn't fit them, as they're together now ... :)

**Q61:** I get the feeling mewtwo loves Lilly more than she loves him, is it true?

**A61:** EDIT: I'm not sure how I mixed that up, my bad! Definitely not, she's just a kid and will show it differently. In this last chapter, Lilly was so confused by what was going on that she didn't really get to properly thank Mewtwo or anything. But a good question!

**Q62:** Are mewtwo and Lilly supposed to have a similar relationship like Gilbert and violet?

**A62:** Yes :-) although sometimes they switch roles, like you saw in Ch. 37 / maybe 34? (especially when comparing the scenes where Gilbert's like "She's just a little girl!" to his brother and Lilly's like "He's deserves to live freely!" to Giovanni, etc)

**Q63: **What the cranberries song do you think fits them?

**Q63:** It was "Why" by The Cranberries that someone shared with me! But I don't think it fits Lilly and Mewtwo. I'll have to listen to their discography to decide if there is a song that fits them, lol

**Q64:** About question 59, Good answer! but, if she was ABOUT to lose him, would she? Sort of like if mewtwo would be willing to sacrifice his powers(which is basically all he has for himself) than would Lilly be willing to sacrifice the same?

**A64:** I think if it came down to it, maybe? But she doesn't really have that much to lose begin with, so it's kind of hard to answer. I'm trying to imagine a scenario and I don't think I can, haha.

**Q65:** Will we see mewtwo and Lilly dance a waltz? That would be soo amusingly adorable!

**A65:** I'll add this to the ever-growing "list of things i gotta draw" ! Or maybe I'll write about it, for funsies.

**Q66:** How do you commit so much to the fic?! Because a lot of writers sometimes never complete the fics, or don't update them so regularly, so it's impressive!

**A66:** That's such a nice compliment, I love being consistent! I think there are several answers to this, but the _biggest_ reason why this fic got completed (well, we're almost there) is that this is my creative outlet. I'm a musician and that's basically my career, and that's also a creative outlet for me, but because I have terrible stage fright it doesn't allow me to get as into it as writing does. In fact, now that I think about it, nothing I do in life compares to the innate satisfaction I feel when I complete a chapter, or arc, or fully flesh out an idea; that's how satisfying it can be! But because this is my creative outlet, I would often come to this fic when I was feeling sad or frustrated about something, and get all my feelings out here. So the more I wrote, the more a story just took shape.

Another factor is that I've been writing literally almost half my life, I was Lilly's age when I started. And one day I just thought to myself, "you know this gives me so much joy, and I'm sure it would give someone else joy, too." and once I decided I was going to publish it for other people to see, that was what really motivated me to change things up and create a more cohesive story rather than several anecdotes loosely pieced together. So I did already have much of this content written, I'm just improving it between postings!  
Sorry, this is really long and probably running on, but I hope I answered your question ◡̈

**Q67:** Awwww! I was so excited for next chapter! :( But okay, gonna check out the art :) thanks!

**A67:** So sorry, I wish I had it for you now :((

**Q68:** Actually if you check the question again it was that it is MEWTWO who seems to love Lilly more XDxD by the way have you listened to tears of life from Pokémon soundtrack? If so, In what part of the story could it go?

**A68:** I edited my answer, thanks for catching that! The one from the first movie? That scene left such an impression on me that I've never thought to put that song anywhere in this fic!

**Q69:** About question 57 it's not that you did a bad job, on the contrary, it's that I enjoy clarification to verify and that's it XD also when mewtwo hears Lilly humming in the shower why is he surprised? Did he like Lilly's voice?

**A69:** Ah okay, that's a relief! I actually put that in because it was his first time hearing a human sing :-) he didn't hate it!

**Q70:** Pleeeeeease! Can you post the chapter and then in any case edit it? You write so well, given how you seem perfectionistic, I am sure it's already so greatly written the way it is! (Pouty face)

**A70:** Maybe! I'd just hate to come up with an idea for the ending and have to change too drastically after publishing this chapter, and then be like "sorry guys, had to totally rewrite this ending lol"

**Q71:** Would you accept payment for this story?

**A71: **I assumed I wasn't allowed to because it's a fic about Pokémon? But I guess artists are also making fanart about Pokémon and don't have to pay royalties to the Pokémon company for that? I really don't know how these things work, lol. In any case, I think I would only accept payment if I had a lot of people reading this. This is something I just enjoy doing!  
(side note: I do kind of hope someday to make my own, completely original story that I could accept payment for :-) )

**Q71:** Would Lilly ever ask mewtwo to tell her a bedtime story? Perhaps for comfort before sleeping?

**A71:** Mewtwo doesn't really know how to tell stories / make up stories on the spot very well, and even if he is reading a book to her he'd probably stop at least 8 times to say something like "Why did the character do that? He should have done this instead." but he'll gladly tell Lilly about some of the places he's been and adventures he's been on to help her fall asleep!

**Q72:** Maybe you could accept payment privately? Also sounds like mewtwo reading a book or telling a story to Lilly would be amusingXD

**A72:** I'll have to see what other fic writers are doing, maybe they're using paetron or something? It's not something I've thought about, but now you've got me thinking. Adding this to the list of things I'm gonna draw / write out!

**Q73:** So next chapter won't be the last? Maybe you could post this chapter and then if you get a new idea a second version of that chapter? That would be interesting! Or maybe if you come up with another idea we could vote?

**A73:** I'm combining your reviews all into this one!  
1\. Nope, there's one more thing that happens. But only MAX four chapters left, maybe less if I'm concise about it.  
2\. ahhhhhhmmmm it's more about whether I decide to include certain parts or not. It's hard to explain without spoiling, apologies.  
3\. Sorry, I asked Mewtwo and he said no voting allowed :(( (hahaha)

**Q74:** Could we ask questions to mewtwo and Lilly too?

**A74:** YES but wait until the fic ends! Also, I'd **really** prefer to do that on tumblr, because then I can respond with sketches and not just words! So if you don't have a tumblr...get one! (But I'll do it here if none of y'all can get tumblrs, I remember something weird going on with europe and internet privacy? I'm not sure what happened with that, but I'll be flexible for y'all)

**Q75:** Would mewtwo enjoy brushing Lilly's hair?

**A75:** Probably once he got the hang of it! But as for the first time...  
This made me laugh so I drew a picture of it! You can find it on the tumblr and instagram pages!

**Q76**: It has been asked and seen about mewtwo comforting Lilly but how would Lilly comfort mewtwo?

**A76:** Mewtwo doesn't really need comforting that often, he's mostly gone through the necessary growth to come to terms with who he is. But also, while Lilly does learn to open up to Mewtwo (as this is something she struggled with early on), Mewtwo will always have a hard time letting Lilly know that he's struggling with something. It's part of his "I have to be the strongest Pokémon" complex. But in the instance that he needs it, she'll probably tell him a story or insist on "hugging the sadness out of him."

**Q77:** What things would you say Lilly values in another person, like personality traits? And mewtwo?

**A77:** Some of these questions are really challenging me to think about my characters in ways I haven't previously, I love it!  
_Lilly:_ Selflessness is her biggest one, but traits like compassion and loyalty are closely followed.  
_Mewtwo_:His biggest one is loyalty. but close behind that are integrity and a sense of responsibility.

**Q78:** I saw you added a song called not while I'm around! :) is it from mewtwo's point of view or Lilly's?

**A78:** Most of the songs on the playlist can be interpreted either way, including that one! (I personally had it from Mewtwo's pov, but I also know the whole story ◡̈ )

**Q79:** How would or will Lilly cope psychologically with everything that has happened, would she get anxiety out of nowhere for example? Or sudden stress and wanting to cry?

**A79: **She will definitely experience those things. Lilly hates being alone. but sometimes she'll subconsciously self-isolate to deal with those feelings. This will be addressed more in subsequent chapters, but I can say that much so far!

**Q80:** Have you heard the voice actor of mewtwo sing aka jay goede?

**A80:** y'know, I actually haven't! I'll give these a listen before the end of the week :-)

**Q81:** Would mewtwo and Lilly find reggae music amusing? XD

**A81:** I really want to know what inspired you to ask about that genre specifically. I'm gonna say Liliy might have a good time with it, Mewtwo would probably be intrigued by the rhythms but then grow bored. (I honestly don't know THAT much about reggae music, which is a shame because I probably should aldkjfalkdf)

**Q82:** How would mewtwo do if he had to babysit little kids? Like age 6 or so

**A82:** Honestly, that's probably his worst nightmare. He'd beg for Lilly to help him. (You bet I'm gonna make a comic about this)

**Q83:** Did Arceus heal mewtwo and Lilly's bullets in their body?

**A83:** I also wondered that when I was writing, but yep those are gone! But luckily, Lilly didn't have any bullets actually (this will matter later). That beam she was hit with was purely "negative energy" (that's probably not really a thing, but, i'm not a physicist, hehe)

**Q84:** If Lilly and mewtwo went on vacation in winter, would they go skiing or on a sleigh ride? what about summer would they go to the beach and do something?

**A84: **Lilly's happy to go anywhere, as long as it's with her Pokémon! Mewtwo normally doesn't really like the beach (or being in bright sunlight for that matter, as you saw early in the fic), but he might warm up to it after some convincing! He'd much prefer a winter vacation. Will definitely revisit this once my art skills are more consistent, or write about it :-)

_Sorry for not being super interactive this week. Without pulling my personal life into it I've been trying to make a big life decision recently and it's been kind of taking up all my emotional energy. But reading your reviews really makes me smile, thank you all for leaving them ;-;_

**Q85:** Oooh, I see, did Lilly not tell mewtwo about her plan because of what she mentioned in the first chapters about not liking asking for help or being afraid of it and thinking she has to do everything alone?

**A85:** Yes, right! With losing her parents (she's still not 100% sure what happened though) and her Pokémon (Meganimum), she feels like those were indirectly her fault and blames herself. But another big factor was because she felt that if he was involved in any way, he'd end up being taken/killed like she saw in her vision ◡̈

**Q86:** Oooooo I wonder why she is cold! This chapter felt...just as rested as Lilly and mewtwo, in a good way, like finally things are starting to look up. Looking forward to next update next week.

**A86:** Writing this chapter was also relaxing, I was like "wow thank god they finally get a second to chill!" Those two really needed a break, lol.

**Q87:** The change of perspectives in one chapter provide a nice change, feels dynamic in some way. Great work as usual! :)

**A87:** Thanks :-) I was worried that it would come off clunky, I'm glad to hear it was effective~

**Q88:** Yaaaay new chapter! finally! this fic made my week!

**A88:** Aw thank you ;-; that means a lot!

**Q89:** Just wanted to say thank you so much for everything,and hope you have a great and meaningful life! Wish you the best!:D

**A89:** Wahh no I'm terrible with goodbyes ;-; haha. There will be more content in the future, I hope this ending will keep you waiting for it :-) Also, side note, if any of you ever want to interact with me between fics, please use the social media platforms I have on my profile page! I would love to hear more thoughts there.

**Q90/91: **So is this the same Lilly from Alola or is this a new character you pulled out of your ass? Just wondering because your story is lacking the tag and I want to make sure. Nevermind, read your profile summary. Apologies for the rude remark. Most of my experience in Pokémon has been in Unova and Alola. Kanto and Johto are still in the completion stage for me. That, and I am up at 4 in the morning writing this.

**A90/91:** Profanity? In MY reviews? I'm shook, I really have no idea who my audience is here haha. Also, you're making me feel so Old with that remarks about not having played Kanto/Johto games and the "I am up at 4 in the morning," both absolutely clocked me. But I recognize your username now from another review, hope you're enjoying :-) feel free to (gently) hit me with more questions as they come!

**Q92:** Ending?! Won't there be 2 or 3 chapters more?!

**A92:** YES sorry, I meant the "soon to be coming" ending lol.

**Q93:** Will we get to hear the full music playlist when the story finishes?

**A93:** Unfortunately, not until the next part of the fic finishes. I have music that is relevant to those events and ummmm they're definitely spoilers hehe

**Q94:** When mewtwo picks Lilly up is sooooo cuuute!

**A94:** I also melted, love them so much uwu

**Q95:** How do mewtwo and Lilly celebrate their birthdays?

**A95: **Lilly likes having a party with her closest friends, though this miiiiight change soon. Mewtwo doesn't ever want to do anything for his birthday, but Lilly still makes sure to at least acknowledge it.

**Q96:** Will mewtwo and Lilly be traveling to other regions in the future?

**A96:** YES and you'll see very soon, huhu

**Q97:** What developments can we expect from mewtwo and Lilly in the future or like things from them?

**A97:** This i question and I don't want to spoil anything too soon ... you'll thank me later, I promise!

**Q98:** Hoping for one more slightly angsty chapter between mewtwo and Lilly (fingers crossed) good thing she finally reunited with her team and included mewtwo in the family, this might be the beginning of a new start...

**A98: **It's ironic you say that, for reasons that will soon be revealed...

**Q99:** You know when Mewtwo got angry at Lilly and left her, it really got me thinking about something interesting that when he thought she lied to him, Mewtwo thought she was someone else at that moment and perhaps he left her because he didn't actually lover HER but loved an IDEA of her, which is why he didn't try to understand her or show compassion, I think when he apologized for leaving her he sort of realized this. And also was wondering in the future will Mewtwo and Lilly's love continue to be explored in the next part? Cause there seems to be a lot of room for it to grow...

**A99:** That's an interesting take, I hadn't thought of it that way. BUT, it was totally not the intended angle. When Lilly "lied," she purposely came up with the something she knew would sever ties, which was to make him feel used. Being used is kind of a deep-seated trauma for Mewtwo (think back to his creation and his "partnership" with Giovanni). Unfortunately for Lilly, she didn't realize how well it would work.  
I think something I didn't explain too well in this fic (that I tried to have Mewtwo touch on in this chapter) is that he sees a little bit of himself in Lilly. Though Lilly had parents, she didn't really know them. There's another similarity that I can't put into words too well right now, but hopefully it'll come to me soon and I'll come back here and address it.

**Q100:** Would Lilly ever request Mewtwo to sleep with him one night in fear of losing him again or for comfort of what happened?

**A100:** Ok first of all, how'd we get all the way to 100? You guys are awesome! And I think it's _very_ likely she'll do that ◡̈

**Q101:** In the first chapters I really wouldn't have imagined Mewtwo saying something like "it's okay to cry" he has really come a long way, I guess he learned that to be strong you have to be soft, also I bet Lilly really regrets now not wanting Mewtwo at the beginning of the story haha, she loves him so much now.

**A101:** That's exactly what he learned! I'm such a fan of that arc. As for the second part, he WAS kind of a jerk in the beginning, I personally think she was right to feel that way! lol

**Q102:** Freeeench toooast! I really want one now! Nice touch to Lilly's character, does mewtwo have a favorite sweet treat or something?

**A102:** Not yet, but let's hope he gets one soon!

**Q103:** Something must be up if Lilly is not hungry right?

**A103:** Nah she's good, her body's just all out of whack due to recent events.

**Q104:** Would mewtwo forgive Lilly like she forgave him for being sooooo mean and bad if she messed up again? Or would he leave her again?

**A104:** I don't think Lilly _ever_ wants to do something like that again after what just happened, she learned her lesson lol.

**Q105:** Will Lilly develop PTSD after everything? Will Mewtwo get overprotective of her?

**A105:** Mewtwo's definitely going to be overprotective for the foreseeable future, I think Lilly will always be deeply affected by what happened but it won't be detrimental in terms of day to day life ... for now

**Q106:** What would be Lilly's height in meters?

**A106:** I'll give you all the measurements! 140cm, 1.4m, 4' 7'' ! She's still got some growing to do, lol.

**Q107:** Mewtwo does not seem to be reading Lilly's mind as much as before...did something change?

**A107:** I was about to refer you to something he said in the previous chapter, but then I remembered that I had to split them in two so it's actually in this upcoming chapter! Your question will be answered in a few days ◡̈

**Q108: **How was Mewtwo affected by what happened with Giovanni and Lilly?

**A108:** He just hopes that Lilly is less naive about him than she was before (which obviously she is, Giovanni literally was about to kill Mewtwo with his own hands).

**Q109:** What sense of humor do you think Mewtwo has? And Lilly?

**A109:** Mewtwo's sense of humor is very blunt, whereas Lilly loves to laugh. Other than that, I can't really tell you what makes Mewtwo laugh. I've never seen him laugh except at pokemon or people he was about to beat, haha. BUT I think he laughs when Lilly trips (first making sure she's okay).

**Q110:** What does Mewtwo think of love now that he knows what it is?

**A110:** He thinks it's a powerful force! But it's all new to him, so he's still figuring it out.

**Q111:** Will Lilly and Mewtwo's love continue to grow?

**A111:** Yeah, of course! They still have a lot to learn about each other.

**Q112:** Did Mewtwo sent the microwave to Jupiter to amuse himself? Cause I thought it was hilarious! XD

**A112:** Honestly it was kind of out of panic (he was also scared of the microwave!), but afterward he thought it was funny that he chose Jupiter.

**Q113:**

**A113:** Just realized that this review is from my "Anti LGBT" reader, and since it is **Gay Wrath Month** (aka, gay pride but angry) I've chosen to no longer answer their reviews! Anybody else claiming to be anti-LGBT *OR* not in support of BLM will also be blocked™. This is not a space for discrimination~~~

**Q114:** Slight weird question but What would be Mewtwo's favorite eye color? And Lilly's?

**A114:** Hm... (this is probably the most difficult question for me to unbiased when answering LOL) I don't think Mewtwo has a *favorite*, but I will say that he does love the color of Lilly's eyes. Lilly's favorite eye color is actually yellow! (She loves Rayquaza's eyes haha)

**Q115:** What is Silver planning? What does he know about Lilly? And why is he concerned? So many questions since this is strange...has his father told him what happened or something? Did Giovanni lie to Silver so he could help "save" Lilly from Mewtwo or something like that?

**A115:** huhuhuhuhuhuh...

_To T:_ Over the last two weeks, I did a lot of thinking and also asked other fanfic writers for their experience on this, and I got a wide range of answers from "you need to be more tolerant" to ... the other extreme. If you knew me in real life, I think many would tell you that I'm capable of respecting most opinions. But when it comes to "opinions" on other humans in this respect, it's ... no longer an opinion. I do not feel that I should have to state on my profile "I think all people deserve to love who they choose and be who they want."  
While I hold no anger toward you and never did, I feel uncomfortable interacting with you as before not because "wah, they don't agree with me" but because at this point in my life and with the current climate, I'm a little afraid of people who disagree with the above statement. If you become open to changing your view at any point in the future, I'll be happy to provide some perspective, but as things are now please do not continue to interact directly with me.

(To everybody else, sorry for dragging you through this mini-crisis I had, and thank you for understanding.)

**Q116 (left by Moon):** O

**A116: **Glad I left you speechless with that last chapter, lol!

**Q117:** I am liking where this is heading, I also love the tragedy and irony of it. I wonder what will it become of Mewtwo and Lilly now that it's just them? So epic.

**A117: **Thanks so much! This ending is uncharted territory for me (like this didn't exist a few weeks ago) and was supposed to be a LOT simpler! But I figured I'd start the process of weaving in plot points that occur much later...

**Q118:** I think it's one of the few instances we have seen Mewtwo and Lilly argue which makes their relationship feel more close and believable, like it's evolving too. Overall a very complete chapter.

**A118:** (HAHA they said EVOLVING) Thanks! I think it also serves as a good reminder that Lilly is 12 and therefore kind of not thinking about the "long-term consequences" of some of her actions.

**Q119:** You are going to leave us in a cliffhanger, wanting the sequel?! DON'T BE SOOO CRUUEL! XDXD

**A119:** I know I'm the worst, so sorry ㅠㅠㅠㅠ (crying emoji in Korean)

**Q120:** I think Giovanni is just misunderstood, even if he is a jerk XD also love your art, what more can we expect from it?

**A120:** huhu, all will be revealed next week (well...not all, but some) and thank you! I'm not posting every day but I am working hard to get better at sketching so I can do the following:  
\- roleplays (like "ask Lilly / Mewtwo" or whatever, requests from readers, etc)  
\- fan art (there are some scenes/moments that I absolutely want to go back and draw, for example, that Lilly/Arceus hybrid that was in the beginning)  
\- (this is WAY in the future) I might want to start drawing out entire chapters, webcomic-style! Of course, I'd write out the chapters first before drawing them, but I think I could tell this story so much better with visuals (once I get good at them).

Kind of along that vein, and I know this isn't what you asked, but I'm considering writing future content in the "third person" (Lilly did this) rather than "first" (I did this). I don't know what other fic writers are doing, I think the only other fics I've read are also in the third person? I'm considering this for the same reasons as above, I feel like I could get more descriptive and whatnot.

**Q121:** Mewtwo keeps underestimating Giovanni, I think he is wrong and Giovanni knew Mewtwo changed and would not hurt Silver like mewtwo himself said...cause he did express concern for his son when Mewtwo mentioned he would hunt down his child...

**A121:** Intuitive! You'll hear more about this next week.

**Q122:** So now we can expect chapters on thursdays instead of Wednesdays?

**A122:** Honestly it really just depends on my mental state/how busy I am during the week since these chapters aren't actually written yet. I want to tell you "no it'll still be Wednesday" but at this point, I think Thursday might just work better for me overall!

**Q123:** "She is imperfect but beautiful" sooo adorable! My heart!

**A123:** I know I'm going to rewrite that line in the future, but I didn't know how to this time without taking away from the simplicity of that feeling!

**Q124:** When will Lilly learn that everytime she makes a decision alone things go wrong, I understand she is a kid though and also it's true Mewtwo can get too aggressive and she wouldn't like that , it has me wondering, does Lilly actually trusts Mewtwo, in what ways does she trust him and in what ways she does not?

**A124:** Yeah she's a kid and not thinking ahead about this kind of thing! She trusts him with her, but she's kind of still learning about his traumas / what really affects him.

**Q125:** I feel so bad for Silver :(

**A125:** I almost feel obligated to apologize.

**Q126:** Mewtwo totally feels like the adult scolding a child XD

**A126:** Well she IS a child! Haha. But I have no idea how "old" Mewtwo is, I think he just prefers that role. But how long did it take to make Mewtwo? Anybody got an answer on that?

* * *

I hope some of this was helpful! Feel free to write more reviews / send messages if you want to see them answered here. Thanks!

(In case I get more questions I'm leaving this at the bottom.)**ALSO** will be uploading that art to the instagram / twiitter pages mentioned in **A41** soon, give one of them a follow if you want to see more of that! I may end up deleting one page if one is more popular than the other.


	40. Chapter 39

It's finally here! Thanks for waiting!

REALLY QUICK ANNOUNCEMENTS:  
1\. If you didn't see them yet, go on my profile page and check out the **social media pages** I set up for this fic! This is important because,  
2\. I have a _fantastic_ art commission for this chapter coming soon that I know you all will appreciate, PLUS I'm starting to brush up (lol) my digital art skills and hope to be making little comics with our protags while we wait for the next fic!  
3\. Someone reminded me to post the playlist so I just put it in the profiie page! Go there if you want to read more about it.

Okay that's it from me, please enjoy this chapter!

* * *

**Chapter 39**

…

_Where are you?_

…

_Mewtwo?_

My eyes flew open. I gasped, coughing on the air I inhaled too quickly.

Soon my breathing evened out, and I was still. I remember the feeling of disbelief that followed as I laid there, blinking in the bright sunlight that shone through the leaves. Most of my body was numb, but I slowly began to feel the ground below as sensation returned to my extremities. Soon I could feel my arms again, and the first thing I did was lift Lilly off of myself. I saw the opal necklace she wore glowing faintly, but the light continued to fade away with each passing moment. I gently laid her back down again and rested my arms by my side.

_Wait . . ._

My eyes opened wider at the realization. _I can . . . move?_ I lifted one arm into the air, followed by the other, then dropped both to the ground. Then I reached to touch my leg where I was shot earlier, again I was surprised when I felt neither the bullet hole nor the bullet within my leg. Using my hands I quickly pushed myself up and leaned back against the nearest tree to look for the other wound in my side. There was nothing there, either. I was completely healed.

But even after all of that movement, Lilly still had not stirred. I felt panic begin to suffocate me again. What if Amber was wrong? How could she have been so sure? "Lilly? Are you . . . ?"

I was too afraid to finish that sentence. I hesitated before lightly pressing my hand to the side of her neck and waiting for a pulse. I was unaware that I was holding my own breath in anticipation, but I did not have to wait long. After a moment, I could feel the artery in her neck gently throb against my thumb.  
"Li . . . Lilly . . ."

I was so weak with relief that I could hardly speak. I let out a sob as I pulled her closer to my face and held her tightly to me, feeling tears come to my eyes once again. _Compose yourself, she can't see you like this when she wakes up. _I tried to breathe deeply, inhaling the woods and sunlight and Lilly's dark hair.

Suddenly, I heard her cough. "Lilly?" I whispered hoarsely, taking my arms off of her.

She stretched her own arms before raising her head slightly, but not high enough to look at my face. "M-Mew . . . two . . ."

It felt as though something warm exploded in my chest when she uttered my name. I almost looked down to see if the opal was there again. She mumbled something else I could not quite make out, then closed her eyes and fell back against me. I was so grateful to hear her speak that I had to hear it again. "Lilly!" I said louder, hardly able to contain the excitement in my own voice that time.  
When I shouted her name, her eyes flew open wide and she pressed herself up with her hands. Once she realized that she was on top of me, she gasped and scrambled off, falling back into the brush behind her.

"I . . . what the . . . ?" She looked around, visibly confused by the sight of dense woods instead of metal walls surrounding us. Then she began to examine herself, touching the dried blood on her hair, clothes, and skin. Next, she looked me up and down, my own skin covered in dried blood. There was so much I wanted to ask her, but I watched patiently, taking in her movements and expressions. I assumed she would come to her senses in time, but instead, her expression grew more bewildered by the moment.

Finally, she asked, "Mewtwo . . . did we . . ."

"What is it?"

After another moment, she looked me in the eyes and asked with barely a whisper, "are we . . . dead?"

Though her question was a reasonable one, it still caught me off guard. "Are we . . . what?" I asked, not sure if I had heard her correctly.

She looked around again. "We . . . have to be . . . there's no way . . ." Her eyes suddenly went wide and shot down to her knees. "We're really dead, aren't we?"

Lilly said those words very slowly, and I could tell she was mostly talking to herself. Since I had just gone through this same process with Amber, I thought I knew exactly what to say. "No, Lilly," I stated calmly, "we're—"

But when she looked back at me again her eyes were wet, and I was suddenly unable to finish my sentence. Her mouth opened, and she stammered for a moment before anything intelligible came out. "I . . . I've failed," she said to herself again, looking at the ground in front of her.

I was too busy trying to figure out how she arrived at that conclusion to come up with a proper response in a timely manner. "I couldn't . . . protect you!" she exclaimed finally, making me jump. She hid her face in her hands and began to sob. "I'm . . . I'm so sorry! This is my fault, I couldn't . . . I couldn't protect you even after I promised . . . I failed you."

Lilly let out another stifled cry and sank lower to the ground. I watched her for a moment, confused by the wide array of emotions that were suddenly hitting me as I listened to her blame herself. Then, all at once, I understood them.

"I did everything I could, and . . . this still—"

"Shut up."

I was still calm when I spoke, but my tone lost its warmth. Lilly froze and looked up, clearly not expecting that to be my response. I let her be confused for a few moments while I tried to find the right words to explain what I was feeling.

"Wh- . . . what?" she asked when I took too long.

"You . . . you did not fail me for that reason," I corrected her, slowly rising to my knees.

She started backward and hid her face behind her elbow when she saw me get up. I felt my gut clench, but at that moment, even the sight of her cowering in fear did not hold me back. "The _sole _reason I came to the hideout was to ensure your safe return home. I was so close to accomplishing that, but then you just . . . you _threw_ your life away. I want an apology for that."

There was a moment before Lilly lowered her arm and stared at me. She tried to respond to my demand, "I . . . I don't—"

"What _possessed _you to do that, anyway?" I asked, raising my voice,

"Did you actually think that I would simply . . . continue to live?"

The feelings of helplessness suddenly manifested into the words I could not say to her before when I first picked her lifeless body up off the ground. My voice raw, they continued to come out before I could stop them. "I was . . . as good as dead after what they did to me! Even with your sacrifice, Team Rocket would have succeeded in recapturing me, and it would have all been for nothing! But even if I _somehow_ escaped . . ."

I angled my head toward the ground so she could not see the tears leaving my eyes, then I cried out, "How would I have . . . I could not have lived with myself! So, apologize for not valuing your life enough! For not trusting me, and for . . ."

My voice broke, "for f-forcing me to watch you _die_!"

Several seconds of silence followed. When she did not respond, I looked up to see her just staring at me with wide eyes. It was difficult to tell if she was still afraid of my anger, confused by seeing me cry for the first time, or both. I let out a shaky sigh and closed my eyes. After all of that, my fear was quickly dissipating, like the dew off the leaves in this forest. "I'm not being fair," I said finally, opening my eyes and brushing the water away with my wrist, "Because . . . given the choice, I would have done it to save you."

I sat back on my heels and sighed again, lowering my eyes. "I know I was angry just now, but I'm not blaming you for what you did," I said earnestly, "Nothing that happened today was your fault, Lilly."

Without a word, I heard Lilly slowly get to her knees. I looked her way hoping that she would say something. But she still looked lost, and for a moment I did not know what else to say to help her understand.

Lilly gasped when I disappeared.

Then, I reappeared directly in front of her and pulled her into an embrace. To my surprise, she seemed to turn to stone in my grasp. I held her for a moment and hoped that she would relax, but it did not happen. "As mad as I want to be at you right now for your actions, I cannot," I said, my voice breaking again, "because by some miracle . . . they worked. I escaped, and you're _alive_."

I felt her move to look up at me, but I kept my eyes fixed on the ground past her head as I tried to stop crying. "This was all because I let them take you, I only have myself to blame. I . . . I never should have left you alone!" I choked out.

My attempts to remain composed were in vain, and I began to sob as hard as she was before. "Do you understand yet? My stubbornness was the reason Team Rocket succeeded in the end. This was all . . . if I hadn't been so rash . . . "

I buried my face in her hair and shuddered, unable to finish my sentence. I did not know where this outpouring of words was coming from, but it felt as though a floodgate inside of me had opened. I was overwhelmed by all the things I wanted to say, and I tried to make sense of what to say first. "Lilly, we . . . we're alive," I repeated. My own head still bent over her, I took hers and gently pressed it against myself with my hand. After a moment, I heard her gasp quietly. "Somehow you still . . . chose to s-save my life, even after I . . ."

I could not say any more for the moment. When I had gotten enough air back into my lungs, I raised my head slightly but did not move back from her shoulder. "I know that you're afraid of me right now. What Giovanni said . . . and what I said in your house was true. I have hurt countless people and Pokémon in the past. But . . . you . . . of all people, you know that isn't me anymore."

I almost became choked up again, but I was able to continue. "I was protecting myself back in Cerulean Cave because I did not know what you were, but I . . . I've never wanted to hurt you, not even when you said you were going to sell me back to Team Rocket." I began stroking her hair with one of my hands, the other still wrapped around her back. "I was devastated by the notion that you never cared about me at all. That moment . . . when I realized how much power I allowed you to have over me . . . that was why I got angry."

Her arms seemed to be trembling against me. "Even still, I know nothing I can say will excuse how I reacted. I should have never . . . ever said or done any of that. It was a step back for me, and I deeply regret all of it. I'm . . . so sorry."

At this, she inhaled deeply and finally began to relax. Without warning she got to her feet, wrapping her arms around my upper back and allowing my head to rest on her shoulder. I firmly pressed my hands into her back and cried into the hollow of her neck. "You . . ."

I was surprised to hear her finally speak, and I was reassured to know that she was hearing me. But I could hardly understand what she was saying as she continued, "I did . . . I didn't kn-ow it would . . . make you s-so—"

I gently pulled her away from me with my power, taking one look at her face before I realized why she could not say anything earlier. Lilly's eyes were on the ground, but I could see that she was still crying as hard as she was before. She had just managed to be quieter about it. I did not realize how much she was leaning on me; as soon as I pulled her away, she sank back to her knees.

"Lilly, _of course_ I was upset!" I exclaimed, "But I was beside myself when I came back and saw that you were gone without your Pokémon, a-and the video you left—"

"But . . . why? You've never . . . I don't under—"

"Because, I love you, too!"

I realized in that moment that was what I had been trying to say all along, and the sense of relief that came over me was when I finally said it was beyond satisfying. She froze again, finally looking up at me.

"What?" she asked, her voice still barely above a whisper.

I looked her in the eyes and said it again, wiping a tear away with my finger before resting my hand on her shoulder. "With all of my heart. I love you. "

She stared at me for a moment longer, then brought her hand up to mine as her face began to crumble again. "Why—"

"I have for a long time," I interrupted, reading her mind, "but . . . I did not think I was good enough to be capable of something like love. But because we met . . . I know the truth now." Her mouth parted in surprise at those words. I nearly began to cry again as I continued, "I . . . I am good enough. I'm good enough to love, and . . . to be loved."

As I said that last phrase, her eyes lit up like the morning sun. She sobbed loudly before jumping into me, taking me by surprise. I certainly would have fallen backward were it not for my powers. Lilly was trying to say something, but she was crying too hard. "I . . . I—"

"Lilly, wait—"

"That . . . that's what I've been—"

"I wasn't done yet!" I protested. In spite of that, I could not help but hug her back.

Her grip did not slacken. "You can't just . . . s-s . . ." I heard her wipe her nose on her arm before trying again, "You can't just say all that . . . a-and expect me not to hug you."

I laughed apologetically and said, "I should have known." But after a moment, I gently pulled her away from me once more. Her face was a mess with tears and snot, but her eyes were still alight with happiness. I almost did not want to say the next thought that came to my mind, but I knew I had to.

"Lilly," I started again, "what you did today was brave, and I'm grateful that you were trying to protect me. But . . ." I closed my eyes for a moment, then put on the sternest face I could muster when I said, "It was also incredibly dangerous, and selfish, for you to think that you should handle a situation like that on your own. And I never want you to put yourself in harm's way or lie to protect me again. Do you understand?"

Her face fell. I did not expect her to become defensive, but she did when she replied, "Dangerous? You came to a Rocket hideout—"

"I wouldn't have needed to if you had not hidden the truth from me," I said firmly, though my voice was still hoarse with emotion, "But yes, I had to be the one to go."

"You keep saying you _had_ to do it, but, so did I," she said quietly. "I . . . I've already lost—"

"We will discuss this in a safer location later, this is not the time nor place," I interjected, "But, I really think we could have figured it out together if you had allowed me to . . . if you had trusted me to do what was right." She looked away in frustration and did not respond that time, but I could tell that she was at least considering what I was saying. "Look, what happened back there, it can't . . ."

I had to stop speaking for a moment. "I just . . . I can't ever watch you die again." I took her hands in mine, adding, "Nothing will be worth that to me."

"I can't watch you die, either," she said, looking back up at me. "But I didn't mean to . . . I'm not really sure how that happened, to be honest," she admitted suddenly, "I just knew I had to stop Giovanni. I didn't mean to go that far, though. But the look on his face when he saw me . . . I don't think I'll ever forget it."

_Perhaps I shouldn't tell her about the woman she burned in the process, _I thought to myself warily._ That would really upset her right now._

While I was thinking about that, she asked me, "Is this . . . will this be the last time I'll see you?"

I was lost in thought at the moment and assumed I had just heard her incorrectly. "What was that?"

Lilly's voice became small when she looked up and asked again, "Are you going to leave now?"

I was still no less bewildered by her question. I almost stammered when I replied, "Why would anything I said just now make you think that?"

"They know that you're with me," she said, looking down, "that means you can't stay, right? What if they try to . . . to take you again?"

Though she was saying this, I could see how badly she wanted to be wrong. I again thought about the woman who restrained her, how she would at the very least lose her fingers, maybe even her hands as well. Would they figure out it was Lilly? What sort of action would they take upon learning of her abilities?

Though I did not say that much, I was still truthful when I answered. "Right now, we do not know what they know. But no, I don't think they'll be coming for me anytime soon," I said, shaking my head, "not after the fight we gave them." The tension in her eyes faded at those words. "And besides," I continued, "I made you a promise, remember?"

"You . . . did?"

I nodded. "I had already decided I wasn't leaving when I made that promise to protect you and your Pokémon. It appears as though you're stuck with me for a little while longer, I hope that's alright," I added in jest.

She smiled back weakly as she asked, "Since that long ago?"

I nodded, brushing another tear off her face, and said, "Yes. You really had that power over me since all the way back then."

"Power . . ." She laughed again, then rested her forehead on my shoulder and allowed her arms dangle in front of her body. "Did . . . did you see me use my powers?" she asked, her head still lowered.

"I did," I said with a sigh, the exhaustion finally catching up to me when she uttered those words. "It seems like you used all kinds of powers in the last day or two."

"Looks like all that . . . training . . . finally . . ."

Lilly seemed to have fallen asleep before she could finish her sentence. I pulled her into me again and held her, also nearly dozing off where I knelt. All I wanted to do at that moment was fall to the ground and rest, but I knew I had to wait just a little longer. When I was ready, I stood up with her in my arms and teleported both of us back home.


	41. AAAA!

Hi everybody!

Sorry, no chapter this week :( I have the chapter done, but I don't want to release it until I know _for sure_ what loose-ends I'm tying up before the end of this fic, and I'm still playing around with a few ideas. It's by not the last chapter, we still have a few to go!

BUT the good news is, that fanart I mentioned earlier is ready! I paid an arm and a leg for it, but I'm so glad I did it because it came out more beautiful than I could have imagined! Go check it out at the social media pages I have listed on my profile page, if that's something that interests you, and be sure to support the artist if you can!

See you next week with the update!


	42. Chapter 40

Thanks for waiting! You get both perspectives this chapter, it was high time for Lilly to make a comeback.

* * *

**Chapter 40: The Aftermath**

I was asleep when Mewtwo teleported us directly into the house. In fact, I probably would have remained asleep until the next day, had I not immediately woken up to the sound of gasps and confused shouting. "Freeze!" "Stop right there!"

Unfortunately for us, we came home right in the middle of a police investigation. "She is stable," Mewtwo said calmly, staying perfectly still as they requested.

"Release Champion Lilly at once," the more feminine voice said in warning.

At this, he still did not move except to grip me tighter to himself. At the moment, I was too tired to even lift my head. "How do I know that you're not members of Team Rocket?" Mewtwo asked quietly.

"What about you, big guy? Aren't you part of Team Rocket? I have half a mind to call for backup," the man's voice threatened.

Mewtwo did not physically react to the accusation, but I knew him well enough to know he was at least stung by it. A tense silence followed, which was only broken by me speaking up. "He didn't mean it. They're just afraid of you," I said groggily, gently patting his back. I heard the woman gasp when she saw me move.

_I know you can't see them, but I am, in fact, taller than both of these people_, Mewtwo replied.

"You know that's not what I meant," I groaned, "just lemme do the talking."

Mewtwo hesitated, then set me on my feet. I rubbed my eyes and turned around to look at whoever was addressing us. Two officers were standing in the kitchen with Pokéballs drawn, one man and one woman. The woman was significantly older than her partner. "This," I said through a massive yawn and gestured behind me, "is my partner, Mewtwo. He . . . he just saved me from Team Rocket."

The two officers lowered their Pokéballs and looked at each other in confusion. "Partner . . . ?" the woman whispered.

"This is really Mewtwo?" the man asked, taking a step toward us.

"Yeah," I repeated through another yawn. "We're okay, but I'm really tired. I want to go to bed, now."

"That will have to wait. Champion Lilly, we need to take you to the hospital for further evaluation," the woman said, stowing her Pokéball in her belt, "you're covered in blood, you look like you were in a serious fight."

"No," Mewtwo said quickly from behind, putting his hands on my shoulders, "Lilly stays here."

The woman shot him a look. "This is _not_ up for debate, she needs to be examined immediately," she said firmly. "She could be seriously injured—"

"I can _assure _you that physically, she is entirely unscathed, and her vitals are normal," Mewtwo repeated, his voice icy. "What she needs is rest. Lilly does not leave my sight or this house. Team Rocket is very likely looking for us at this moment."

The man took a step forward and began to raise his voice, saying, "Oh, so _you're _a police officer now? How about you keep your—"

The woman raised her hand, and her subordinate fell silent.

"A valid concern," she said calmly, lowering her arm, "but we just want to be sure. We can have a nurse come to the house to check Lilly here. Do not let her change or shower before we get her."

I groaned, as both of those things were all I wanted to do. "I'll get the nurse," the woman continued as I stood there with my eyelids drooping. "Officer Jack, you get Mrs. Ketchum. We'll need her here for this."

"Wait, who's going to watch the kid?" Jack asked as she started for the door.

"Mewtwo can stay here with her," the female officer said. She turned to look at Mewtwo when she added, "Also, we'll need to ask you some questions with Mrs. Ketchum when we return."

"By all means," Mewtwo said, his voice calm once more. The female officer told her subordinate to get Mrs. Ketchum again, and the two left the house together.

Mewtwo sighed after they left. "Hang on for a little longer," he murmured encouragingly, lifting me up onto his hip, "you did well back there." My head fell against his shoulder as he levitated toward the stairs.

I must have fallen asleep in those few moments because the next thing I knew, I was in my bed. A woman with pink hair and a Chansey were looking at me from above. The corners of the woman's mouth were turned down slightly in confusion. I felt the uncomfortable static of a garbage bag underneath me. "I'm Nurse Joy, I'm just checking you over," she said once she realized I was awake.

"Unhuh," I exhaled in response.

"Are you feeling alright?" she asked,

I halfheartedly put a thumb up. "Yeah, I'm good."

Once they were finished, the nurse told me that I could go wash up.

As I walked to the bathroom, I could hear Mewtwo and Mrs. Ketchum talking in low voices downstairs. The nurse walked down to join them, and she also began talking in a low voice, but I was too tired to eavesdrop. I set the water on the hottest setting, but even that couldn't rid the soreness and chill that came over me. Once I was finished, I threw on the first t-shirt and shorts I found in my room, shoved the plastic off my bed, and collapsed onto it once again, falling asleep immediately.

* * *

As soon as everybody left and I had placed Lilly on some garbage bags in her room, the first thing I did was seek out her Pokémon. I sensed that they were all still gathered outside, and I called out to them. _Do not come to the door, but we have returned safely._

I heard Ninetails shriek through the walls, followed by other cries of excitement. _Calm down! Team Rocket does not know that we are here, your noise may tip them off._

_Where is she? _Ninetails asked silently.

_ We want to see her! _Togekiss added.

_ I know you're anxious, _I replied sympathetically,_ I will let you know when it is safe to see her. Please be patient for a little longer._

At that moment, the female officer came back with a nurse from the Pokémon Center, who immediately went upstairs to assess Lilly. I was suddenly nervous that she would discover something strange about her, or worse, burn herself. Just as the nurse reached the top stair I teleported to Lilly's room, carefully removed the opal necklace from around her neck, and teleported to my room where I hid it under my bed. All of this was done without the female officer noticing my absence, as she was on the phone giving updates on the current situation to the proper authorities.

Mrs. Ketchum arrived with the male police officer a few minutes later. Her hands flew to her mouth when she saw me, and tears welled up in her eyes. "Oh, Arceus!"

I was confused by her reaction before I remembered that I was covered in blood. I quickly reassured her that Lilly and I were perfectly fine before she became too hysterical.

The officers had us sit down on the ripped couch while they stood in the living room. The first thing they did was demand that I recount the previous day's events exactly as they happened. I altered the timeline slightly, but I provided as much detail as I could without giving Lilly's identity away or letting them know that we died. This, however, proved to be more difficult than I expected. "But . . . why are you covered in blood?" the male officer asked, skeptical of my story.

I was hoping to gloss over the subject but given our appearances it seemed unavoidable. "Oh, I was shot," I admitted, "but I healed quickly, I have that ability."

"Wait, they _shot_ you?!" Mrs. Ketchum exclaimed, horrified.

"How did you fail to mention that?" the male officer asked, incredulous.

"You said they managed to suppress your powers with some kind of technology. But you were still able to recover from something like gunshot wounds?" The woman interrupted.

"I located the device and destroyed it before it was too late," I lied through my teeth, knowing they had no reason to question that.

"Did Giovanni say why they abducted Lilly?" the woman pressed.

"It was not their original intent, but because I—"

I stopped talking and looked around furtively. _The bugs_, I spoke inside their heads, _are they—?_

"We took care of them earlier," the man said out loud, "our team of Magnemite did a thorough search of the place."

I sighed with relief. "That was the reason they kept her. They overheard that I was coming."

I realized my error before he even responded. "You mean, you knew their location and did not notify the police immediately?" the man asked heatedly, glancing sideways at his partner. "We could have had this mess over with much sooner instead of having to do all this guesswork!"

My patience was wearing thin with that man, but I took a deep breath before responding. "This was my fault in the first place, and I did not know what would have happened to her if the wrong people came barging into their top-secret hideout. I hope you understand."

"That's entirely fair," the woman said before the man could respond again, "this was a hostage situation. Had you come to us first, we probably would have planned something similar."

_Finally, someone with sense_, I thought to myself.

There was a brief moment of silence, thankfully broken by the nurse coming down the stairs. "How is she?" Mrs. Ketchum asked before giving her a moment to speak.

As soon as I saw the nurse's face, I knew she found something strange. I sighed to myself, knowing I could not enter her mind and speak for her without tipping off the officers and Mrs. Ketchum that I had done so. Lilly probably would not have approved of me doing that, either. But admittedly, I did consider it for a moment.

She set her bag down on the floor and said, "Champion Lilly appears to be in good condition. No signs of internal or extremal trauma, though there is a lot of blood on her. She's in the shower right now."

"That's a relief!" Mrs. Ketchum said, putting a hand to her chest.

The nurse put a hand to her face and continued, "However, her body temperature . . ."

_What? But I took the opal! _I thought, trying not to show the panic I felt.

"It's a little low. My thermometer could just be malfunctioning, but she did feel a little cold to the touch. I'm sure she'll warm right up with that shower, though."

"How strange," the female officer agreed, "we'll have to keep an eye on that." I nodded in agreement, confused by the nurse's assessment. _She felt fine to me when I brought her home. What could she be talking about?_

They exchanged a few more words before the nurse took her leave and returned to the Pokémon Center, then Mrs. Ketchum asked, "So . . . will that be all the questions you have for Mewtwo?"

"Yes, for now," the officer replied. "We'll have some questions for Champion Lilly when she wakes up, I need a description of the people who abducted her." The woman held out a card to Mrs. Ketchum, who passed it to me. "Call us as soon as you can."

"Wait," I said, standing up first, "there is something else you should know."

The officers looked at me expectantly. "Team Rocket abducted Lilly to a location in Jhoto, and I have reason to believe that's where they believe we are," I said, choosing my words carefully, "therefore, it would be in our best interest to keep Lilly's return quiet for a few days."

The male police officer was about to snap at me again for telling them how to do their jobs, but the woman spoke before he could. "What makes you say that?"

I could not give an honest answer. "Trust me," I said earnestly, "I cannot explain why. But I could be wrong, and they could come here at any time. I only tell you this because I am worried for her safety."

"Very well," she said, standing up, "then we'll have undercover protection in the vicinity of this house at all times, and set up cameras in case they try anything. Thank you for letting us know."

I nodded and sat back down. I remained seated while Mrs. Ketchum saw them out the door frame. "Thank you," I said to her when she returned, "you've done plenty. Why don't you go home and rest?"

"But, I should help you—"

"I will take care of the house myself," I reassured her, "all of this will be gone within the next few hours."

"What about the furniture?"

"I insist that you take some time to recover, it's been a long night. I will let Lilly know you were asking about her."

Mrs. Ketchum did not protest that time, promising to send Ash over to help once he woke up. As soon as she was gone, I went upstairs to Lilly's room to check on her. She was fast asleep, sprawled out on the bed like a beached Staryu. I touched her hand and discovered what the nurse said was true; she was colder than she had felt earlier.

I covered her with some blankets that I found in the hallway closet and was about to retire to my own room, but realized with dread that I, too, needed to rinse this blood off of me. Feeling too exhausted to teleport to another water source, I resigned myself to using the shower, which honestly took longer to figure out than if I had just gone to a lake and came back. Not bothering to even dry myself off once I was done, I finally entered my room and laid down on the bed, falling asleep for the first time in several days.


	43. Chapter 41

**Chapter 41**

I was gradually pulled to consciousness by a dull pain in my head. "Urgh . . ."

The objects in my room seemed to have a strange fuzziness to them. Even after blinking several times, everything was still slightly blurry. I rubbed my eyes vigorously, but there was no change.

I did not have my Pokénav around to tell me how long I slept, but I was still exhausted. I hadn't shifted at all in my sleep, and I quickly realized this was due to the small mountain of blankets that had been layered on top of me. But even with the extra blankets, I was cold. When I looked out the window, I saw that it was still light outside. _Did I sleep at all?_

I turned my head in the opposite direction and blinked again in surprise. On my nightstand were the flowers from Hoenn, looking slightly tattered but still no less beautiful than before, neatly placed in a slender vase. As I looked at them, I caught myself smiling a little. _You're finally awake, _Mewtwo's voice sounded in my head, startling me, _come downstairs when you're ready._

I dreaded the thought of getting out from under the blankets, but after a few moments of self-motivation, I pushed them off and forced myself to sit upright. As soon as I sat up, the pain in my head skyrocketed, and there were black spots in my vision. On top of that, there was something else that did not feel right; where was that weight I woke up with every morning?

My hands flew to my neck when I realized my opal was not there.

Panic rose in my throat, my voice cracking when I instinctively called out, "Mewtwo?"

I pulled my legs off the side of the bed and started to get to my feet. "Where's my—?"

The moment I left the bed, the room around me began to spin. I became lightheaded and collapsed onto the floor. "Agh," I groaned.

I tried pushing myself back up, but my body suddenly felt heavy. I was about to call out for him again, but I heard Mewtwo's feet alight on the floorboards nearby. "Are you alright?" he asked, levitating me back onto the bed.

Still lightheaded, I lifted my face to look at his. His eyes were lined with worry. If he wasn't holding me up with his power, I probably would have fallen off the bed again. "You look worse than before. What's happening to you?" he asked, looking me over. "Do I need to . . . should I get the nurse?"

"M . . . my . . . where's—"

"I took it." The opal suddenly appeared next to him, the chain swinging gently in the air. "I didn't want . . . I was worried something else would happen to you."

I wasn't entirely sure what he meant by that, but the curiosity faded as I looked at the stone. I sighed, relieved that it didn't fall off in the woods. "Can I . . . have it back?"

The chain unclasped and wound itself under my hair and around my neck. I heard a tiny _click_ when it locked again. "Thanks," I said, taking a deep breath and resting my hands on my knees. A strange warmth shot down my spine, and my skin tingled for a moment. I felt a little more energized as I stretched my arms before standing up again.

Mewtwo watched me for a moment, his eyes moving from the necklace to my face. "You've really . . . never removed that stone before?"

I nodded. "Yeah, I've worn it for as long as I can remember. My Aunt back in Hoenn used to joke that I came out of the womb with it, but to be honest I'm still not sure where it came from. I think only my parents knew."

He put a hand to his chin. "Well, we'll need to get to the bottom of that soon," he said finally, "but first, come downstairs."

Without giving me a chance to respond, he disappeared from the room. "Hey, you couldn't have taken me—" I was looking at the dining room when the words "with you?" were leaving my mouth. But I didn't turn to look for Mewtwo right away because I was distracted.

At first, I wasn't convinced that he had teleported me into the right house. The room was completely refurnished, as if there was never a Rocket, or a rogue Mewtwo, in the house. There was a new couch, coffee table, dining table, and chairs. A new TV was even mounted to the wall.

"Mewtwo, where did you . . . get all this furniture?" I asked hesitantly.

"From the local furniture store," he said without missing a beat.

"You went into the shop and _bought_ . . . all this?" I turned to ask him, "Where'd you get the money?"

He was standing at the stove with his back to me. I couldn't see what he was doing, nor his expression, from where I was. "I _may_ have taken it in advance of payment, yes," he admitted, "but Ash insisted that you had plenty of money to cover the expenses, he was sure you would be alright with it."

I was surprised. "_Ash_ was okay with this?"

"He volunteered to go and be my eyes, as I obviously could not go in person. But don't worry, we'll pay them today," he reassured me, looking over his shoulder, "we still have to get a door, after all. Now, no more questions!" he added before I could continue asking for details, "just have a seat. I'll be there in a moment."

I had not noticed the doorway, but when he mentioned it, I looked and saw that it was still missing. In its place was a dark blanket securely taped to the frame. Nobody could walk in or out. _Why not just leave it open? _I thought to myself.

I sighed and turned back toward the table, which was already set with a single plate, cup, fork, knife, a jug of moo-moo milk, a glass spice container with a powder that looked too fine to be salt, and a bottle of maple syrup. Before I could ask about the setup, my jaw practically unhinged in shock as two pieces of bread appeared on the plate.

They were thick, golden-brown, and loaded with cinnamon. I had been so distracted by the sight of the new living room that I had not noticed the smell of French toast earlier. In an instant, I was practically drooling. _Not yet_, Mewtwo said as I sat down, sensing my impatience.

The shaker levitated, hovering toward the plate before turning over and gently shaking itself. A light, powdery dust fell from it and landed on the toast. Too curious to wait, I put my finger to the powder and stuck it in my mouth. It tasted almost too sweet.

After that, the bottle of syrup lifted and poured a generous amount onto the plate. I laughed when it started inching its way over the toast like several tiny Wurmple. When it settled down, Mewtwo called, "Okay, try it now." I took my knife, cut myself a corner, and popped it into my mouth with the fork. I had hardly closed my mouth over it before Mewtwo's voice sounded from directly behind me, full of anticipation: "Is it good?"

"Lemme taste it first, will you?" I said through a mouthful of bread.

After a moment, I could taste the delightful combination of cinnamon, vanilla, sugar, and syrup. I sighed contentedly, putting a second fluffy piece in my mouth. "It's amazing!" I exclaimed after swallowing, turning to look at him, "but you already knew that."

"Perhaps, but," he sat down in the chair next to me, "I still wanted to hear you say it."

Neither of us spoke for a moment. Not knowing what else to do, I took another bite of the toast. But even before it passed my lips, I realized I was not as hungry as I felt at the hideout. I pushed the plate away after swallowing the third bite. "This is really good," I assured him, "but I'm not very hungry right now. I'll have to finish it later."

He sounded worried again when he said, "But, you're always hungry at this time. When did you last eat?"

"I think it's because I just woke up," I shrugged, "But I'm sure I feel hungry later."

He stared at me a moment longer, and I could tell that he was silently assessing my condition as he sat there with a small frown on his face. "Hey," I said, turning my legs to face him, "when were you going to tell me you knew how to make food? You could barely put tomato sauce in the microwave a few weeks ago."

"Actually, I just learned this morning. I assumed you would be ravenous when you woke up. I . . . read your mind while you slept." At this, he looked sheepish, but only for a moment before continuing, "I found that out of all the traditional breakfast foods, you like French toast the most, so I researched the most popular recipe. I had Ash and Pikachu sample the results and after several attempts, they approved!"

I had been staring at him through this entire explanation, too surprised to speak. I checked the clock on the wall behind myself, then looked back at him again and asked, "How long was I asleep for?"

"A full day," he said, "you were quite exhausted. I was surprised as well, but the nurse said to let you sleep."

"You . . . put the house back together, _and_ learned how to make French toast . . . in a day?"

His face brightened noticeably at my disbelief. "Ash helped with the furniture as well, but, yes!" he affirmed. "Love makes one want to do those things. I can't believe I didn't realize sooner."

I started to say something in response, but the meaning of his words hit me a second later and I ended up blushing instead. I looked out the window, hoping he did not notice. "Well, it's about time you started helping out around the house," I mumbled, still avoiding his gaze. "I expect five-star breakfasts every morning, from now on."

Even I couldn't help but giggle a little bit when I said that. "Actually, I don't mind making breakfast," he said to my surprise, "I really find cooking to be . . . enjoyable."

Picturing Mewtwo cook at all really got me laughing. "You're going to regret saying that!"

"I don't think there are many things you can make me regret saying."

I looked at him again. His mouth was not smiling, but his eyes were alight. They looked exactly as they did earlier when he said, "I love you." I suddenly realized that it was, most likely, the first time in his life he was able to say it. The thought was overwhelming, and I had to look away before I started crying again. But he sensed it and said something.

"Lilly . . . it's okay to cry," he said, putting a hand on my shoulder. "You went through a lot yesterday."

My face was tense. "I don't want to," I said finally, my voice breaking on 'want', "I . . . I want to be happy today."

I wiped my eyes and looked up at him again. "I want to be happy that we're alive."

"Well, you know . . ."

Mewtwo straightened up and rested his elbow on the table, "a friend told me that humans cry when they're happy. I thought it was odd at first, but then it happened to me earlier."

I smiled a little to myself, remembering. "She also said to tell you . . ."

His grip on my shoulder tightened slightly, and I looked up at him, "that your life is a gift. Your life itself is more precious than . . . _any_ purpose you think you're supposed to fulfill. I hope you always remember that, and if you don't . . ."

He actually smiled when he said, "I'll be there to remind you."

I forcefully bit my lip, but the tears started coming out anyway. "Th . . . thank you," I squeaked out, wiping them away.

To my relief, he let struggle to calm down for a few minutes without saying anything, and in time I eventually regained composure. "Did someone . . . really tell you that?" I asked, finally realizing he said "she."

He nodded once. "Yes. I'll explain that later when we discuss . . ."

Words suddenly failed him, but I knew what he wanted to say. "We . . . really died, didn't we?" I asked bluntly.

Mewtwo did not answer right away. "I'm not sure, to be honest. I never felt like I was . . . dead."

I looked back at him, astonished. "Really? How? They shot you three times!"

He looked away for a moment as if he didn't want to answer. "It was actually . . . four times."

I put a hand to my mouth. "But it's not important to discuss these details right now. You should really eat something," he insisted, waving his hand impatiently.

"But I'm still not hungry!" I protested, kicking my legs in frustration. "Just give me the short version, I really want to know what happened."

He shook his head adamantly. "There is no short version. I'll tell you everything I—"

"_Hey, Lilly's awake!_"

I gasped and looked past Mewtwo. "My team!"

"_Really_?"

"_Lilly!_"

The blanket at the doorway was shifting, and I could tell that Ninetails was poking her snout into it. "Leave that alone!" Mewtwo commanded suddenly without turning around, "Team Rocket still does not know where Lilly and I are."

"_You didn't tell us that she was awake!" _Togekiss exclaimed, sounding injured.

"_We want to see her this minute!_" Ampharos bleated loudly.

Mewtwo sighed and got up from his chair. "Fine, we'll proceed with the plan, then. Go into the woods, all of you."

"What plan? The woods?" I asked in confusion, getting up as well.

My duffel suddenly appeared on his shoulder. "You'll understand in a moment."

Before I could ask any more questions, he vanished. "Huh?"

Suddenly, I was looking at the ocean.

"What?!"

I looked about frantically before turning around and seeing my entire team behind me. I was still processing the sight of them when Ninetails ran up and knocked me onto the coarse black sand below. "_Thank goodness you're alright,"_ she cried, nuzzling my cheek, "_we were so worried!"_

Her words struck something in me, and I suddenly began to cry again. "Nine . . . tails . . ." I reached up and buried my face in her fur, and she helped me sit up again. I could hear Gyarados and Arbok slide over the sand to meet us, and feel Ampharos' paws rubbing my back. "Everybody . . . I'm sorry . . . I'm sorry I left all of you," I blubbered in between sobs.

"_I'm sorry that we weren't there to fight with you_," Ampharos said, resting her head on mine.

"_We're just happy to ssssssssee you back home! We didn't know what to think_," I heard Arbok say nearby.

I could not stop crying enough to respond to them. I never gave myself a moment to think about the possibility of not seeing my Pokémon again, but those thoughts were finally hitting me all at once.

When I calmed down, I stood up and hugged my other Pokémon, noticing that this place was completely deserted and quiet except for the sound of the waves gently lapping the shore. Only after I hugged Gyarados did I realize we were on Cinnabar Island. "Why are we here?" I sniffed, wiping my nose.

"I thought this would be a safe location for a reunion," Mewtwo said in reply, "and it's not too far from Pallet Town."

"_Mewtwo_," Gyarados said suddenly.

We all started and looked in her direction when she spoke. She began to move around me and toward Mewtwo. I started after her, worried that she was going to get angry with him. But she stopped a few feet away, her body still relaxed. Then, she did something I had never seen her do before; lowering both her head and eyes toward the ground, she bowed deeply towards Mewtwo. I saw his eyes widen; he clearly also did not expect this.

"_Thank you_," Gyarados said finally, straightening up again, "_for bringing our trainer back safely._"

Mewtwo was too startled to respond, and Ninetails added, "_From this day, you have our gratitude and trust._" His expression still did not change, but before I could say anything Togekiss had flown to his side and wrapped a wing around his midsection.

"_Thank you, Mewtwo!_" he chirped happily, "_Lilly is home because of you!_"

He was followed by Ampharos, who hugged him from the other side. "_I knew we could count on you!_"

By then, I finally saw how taut his face was; Togekiss must have sensed what he was feeling before anybody else. Arbok slithered behind the three of them and rested her head on top of Mewtwo's, hissing gratefully. A moment later, I realized that he was upset; he almost failed to accomplish the things they were thanking him for. I wanted to reassure him, but I did not want to say anything that would worry my Pokémon. He managed to compose himself, clearing his throat and saying, "I'm only sorry that I did not help sooner." He looked around at my team and added, "I know that you did not have much of a choice, but . . . thank you, for trusting me."

We stayed there for a little longer, then Mewtwo said we had to go see Ash and his mother. I promised my Pokémon that we would watch contest reruns in a few minutes together before withdrawing them into their Pokéballs. Mewtwo put a hand on my shoulder and asked if I was ready to leave, but I suddenly had something to say.

"I just realized . . ." I said, turning to face him, "I never thanked you for saving me."

He quickly shook his head. "You don't owe me any gratitude. I couldn't have done it if you hadn't—"

"I know."

I interrupted him by wrapping my arms around his middle and pressing my cheek against him. "But in the end, you saved us. And . . . since you haven't heard me say it in person yet . . ."

I looked up at him again, "I also wanted to say . . . I love you!"

He was looking back at me with the same happiness from earlier that morning. At those words, he also wrapped his arms around me. "Even if you never said it to me," he said, his voice shaking a little, "I knew from your actions."

I gasped in surprise. "Really?"

There were tears in his eyes again as he nodded. "Thank you," he said quietly, "for helping me to understand what love is."

* * *

_I FINALLY put together an appropriate order of events for the end of this fic, and my best guess is that there will be 3-4 chapters left. I didn't want to cram everything into too few chapters, but I'll do my best to keep it concise. Thanks for your patience!_


	44. Chapter 42

Sorry she's a little late, just had to add some final details last minute! When reading this chapter, it may be helpful to remember that ALL of the events in HeartGold / SoulSilver happened prior to this fic...you'll understand why later. Enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter 42**

When we arrived at Ash's house, his mom yelped in surprise. "Ah, my apologies. I only told Ash that we were coming," Mewtwo said sheepishly as Mrs. Ketchum stood there, catching her breath.

I heard heavy footsteps from the second floor and knew he was running from his room. I also heard an enthusiastic "Pika pii!"

"Ash!" I called up. He did not respond, but he was downstairs within seconds. I hardly had time to brace myself before he ran full force into me and wound his arms under my own as he lifted me off the ground. "Woah!" I gasped in surprise.

"You're okay!" he cried, spinning me around, "We were so worried, I was about to go after you two with Charizard!"

I was starting to feel nauseous from all the movement. "I'm fine, I'm fine, put me down!" I laughed, hugging him back. He finally stopped spinning and let me back on my feet. When I pulled away and looked at his face, there were tears in his eyes. "You're an idiot," he said suddenly wiping them away, "Why would you lie to Mewtwo like that?"

My face fell a little. "I know, it was bad," I said, "I was just scared for him."

I felt someone else hug me from my side, and knew it was Mrs. Ketchum. "We're so glad that you're safe, Lilly," she said, squeezing the life out of me, "none of us knew what to do."

I hugged her back. "I'm sorry I made you all worry," I said as she released me, "Mewtwo already made me promise to ask for help next time."

"You'd better," Ash sniffed again.

"Oh, Lilly," Mrs. Ketchum interrupted, "your Aunt Charlotte has been trying to reach you! She's on her way to the airport right now."

I gasped at the mention of her name. "Wait, she called you?"

"She's been messaging you on your Pokénav for hours, but I told her you're alright and just resting."

_Oh, crap!_ I thanked Mrs. Ketchum for letting me know. After saying one final goodbye and apologizing for rushing out, we departed again.

"Here," I heard Mewtwo say.

I turned and saw that he had my Pokénav floating next to me. "Where'd you find it?" I asked, taking it and looking it over.

"The police had it in evidence, along with your bag. But they don't need it," he said.

"Isn't that . . . illegal?" I asked, scratching my head.

Mewtwo shrugged. "I don't have to follow your rules. I'm not a human." I did not share that feeling but since it was already in my hands, I was not about to return it. I powered it on and immediately began reading my messages.

There were about twenty texts and five missed calls from my Aunt Charlotte, and I immediately let her know that I was awake and feeling fine. There were a few from Ash letting me know about the furniture he got from the store, and a new one from him asking when Mewtwo would be ready for help with the door. As I was responding to him, I heard voices outside. A woman's voice rose above them, and I immediately knew that my Aunt had arrived.

I wanted to run out and greet her, but I stopped in time to remember the black blanket. But I was close enough to hear what they were saying.

"Ma'am, we just need a moment to verify your—"

"For Arceus' sake, this is my house! I've lived here for five years!" she bristled. "Where is my niece?!"

I smiled to myself. Aunt Charlotte was a nurse, but by no means was she a pushover. "That's definitely her," I said, looking toward Mewtwo, "I recognize her voice."

_Please let her in before she gives us away, _I heard Mewtwo say in irritation.

There was a silence, followed by the sticky sound of the tape being peeled back. "Let's wait over here," Mewtwo said quickly, ushering me toward the couch and out of sight.

"Can you hide for a second?" I whispered, "I think seeing you might scare her."

"Good idea," Mewtwo agreed.

Just as he vanished, my Aunt stepped through the doorway, her brown hair tied up and eyes wide as she looked toward the kitchen first. When she turned spotted me near the couch, she dropped the bag she was holding and ran to me, bending down and throwing her arms around my shoulders. "My goodness, why didn't you answer your phone?!" she exclaimed, "My stomach's been in knots for days!"

"I'm sorry," I said through her shoulder, hugging her back, "My Pokénav was at the police station."

Aunt Charlotte pulled away again, her eyes wet. "I'm so relieved that you're okay. You must have been so scared without your Pokémon." I just nodded, not wanting to say too much about the experience. "Then . . ." she looked around again, "where are they? And the officers told me—"

"Yes, I'm here," Mewtwo said suddenly, making her yelp.

I looked behind me and saw him standing there again, just as he was a few moments ago. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Miss Charlotte," he said in a voice I'd never heard him use before, extending one hand.

Both she and I looked at it in shock. _Oh no, was I supposed to bow? _he asked me nervously._ I thought humans of Kanto shook hands._

I couldn't help but giggle. "Mewtwo, you don't have to act all formal!" I whispered back to him aloud, "it's just my Aunt."

"Ah . . ." he started to retract his hand, "I see."

But my Aunt grabbed it before he could lower it all the way. "It's nice to meet you too, Mewtwo," she said, smiling brightly.

Mewtwo's expression reflected an ounce of the uncertainty I knew he was feeling. "Mewtwo was the one who got me out of there," I said after my Aunt released his hand, "I might still be there if he hadn't shown up!"

"I heard all about it from Dalia!" Aunt Charlotte said, "I'm blown away by your bravery, going back to the people who were trying to hunt you down."

Ever since I told him he didn't have to be so formal, he seemed to be at a loss. "Th . . . thank you," was all he could manage to say.

"I'm sure you have a lot to tell me, but let's hear about it about it over lunch," she said, turning toward the kitchen, "I'm absolutely _starving_!"

As she was preparing lunch, Mewtwo and I sat in the living room together and waited. He still looked a little uneasy, so I turned on the news and asked him about it.

_Are you okay?_

Mewtwo started but kept his focus on the TV. _Yes. Why?_

_ You seemed tense earlier, I was just curious, _was all I thought, trying not to seem too nosy.

Mewtwo didn't reply for a moment, but his next words were surprisingly honest. _I was . . . worried about making a good impression._

My eyes widened._ Really? You?_

_ I'm not sure why you're surprised. People don't usually look at me and think positive thoughts. I'm not exactly your Togekiss, or . . . a Clefairy._

_ A Clefairy?! _I snorted loudly with laughter, making my Aunt look over. _Of course not! But there are tons of Pokémon who don't look like them, why are you worried?_

_In most cases, my reputation of being created by Team Rocket precedes me. That's what people think about before I even speak. Making your Aunt like me was really important. She is . . . kind of your guardian, is she not?_

I shook my head. _I'm sure my Aunts love me, but never really worry too much. The ones I've met so far know I'm a great trainer with strong Pokémon!_

_It still matters to me, _he said, turning to look at me, _if your family is important to you, then they are to me as well._

_ I don't care what my family, or anybody, thinks of you. I know who you are, _I said confidently_. _I scooted closer to him and laid my head on his shoulder, bringing my feet up on the couch. _You'll never have to worry about that changing._

Aunt Charlotte and I were the ones doing the talking during the meal, which was omelets and minute rice that she made using ingredients from the pantry and freezer. Mewtwo was silent as his eyes darted between the two of us. Aside from talking to Ash's mother and the one Cassidy and I had at the Safari Zone, that was the first conversation between two women he ever heard. Eventually, my aunt became curious about Mewtwo. She started with innocent questions, such as "Oh, he eats eggs?" but she was as nosey as she was impatient. The questions eventually escalated to: "Are you Lilly's Pokémon, then?"

I choked on what I was eating. "No," I said after clearing my throat, "Mewtwo—"

"That's a fair question," Mewtwo said, looking at me first before shifting his gaze to my Aunt. "I am not her Pokémon, but . . . our relationship is unique, it's difficult to give it a name. Think of me more as a guardian, or . . . kind of an Aunt, like yourself."

Aunt Charlotte snorted with laughter. "Lilly, he's so funny," she chuckled, "Oh, but . . . you said Aunt? That's for women, are you a woman?" Mewtwo looked away, as if to contemplate. "How can I refer to . . . you in the third person?" she continued.

"Third person?" I asked, tilting my head to one side, "You mean like 'he' or 'she'?" When she nodded, I continued, "I've always called Mewtwo a 'he', but . . ." I turned to look at him, "I'd also like to know."

"To be honest, it's never something that crossed my mind," Mewtwo said thoughtfully. "But all things considered, I guess I don't really have any—" he fell silent at the look I gave him. ". . . gender," he finished innocently.

"Does being called 'he' make you feel weird?" I asked, feeling a little confused.

He briefly mulled over the idea before shaking his head. "No, I don't mind. 'She' would probably also feel fine, I have no real attachment to either pronoun. Though humans tend to perceive me to share more qualities with the male gender."

After our meal, Aunt Charlotte said she had some errands to run and started toward the door. "Wait," Mewtwo said, barring her way, "you should know . . . Team Rocket does not know our current whereabouts."

At this statement, my Aunt looked at him strangely. "But even if they found out, there are police outside. They stopped me on my way into my own house!"

"It would be in your, and Lilly's, best interests to keep our presence quiet," Mewtwo said slowly, "I cannot guarantee that the police will be enough to keep them away from . . . us if they found out."

Aunt Charlotte laughed, but it sounded fake. "But I think they would be more interested in finding you than Lilly, isn't that right?"

_Does she know about you?_ Mewtwo asked without looking in my direction.

_ I don't think so,_ I admitted, trying to think, _I'm not sure my Aunt in Hoenn even knows, and she was the one I ended up with when my parents died._

_ That is going to make things a little difficult, _I watched him rub his head in frustration. He sighed before answering her question. "It is possible that they may seek retribution against Lilly by taking her Pokémon. She has made re-capturing me very difficult for them, after all."

"If you don't mind," she said, the warmth in her voice gone, "I'd like a word with my niece, privately."

"Auntie," I said as I looked uncertainly from the couch, "whatever you have to say you can say in front of Mewtwo, you know."

"This is between you and I, Lilly, as family," she insisted, giving me a look that said _shut up._

From the hard look on Mewtwo's face, I could tell he knew what she wanted to say. "Very well. I will go enlist Ash's help with the door, then," he replied in the same tone before disappearing.

"That was cold of you," I said as soon as he was gone, "he's just trying to help."

"Lilly, honey," she said, sitting down next to me, "I'm sorry, but . . . he needs to leave."

Her bluntness shocked me at first. "No, he doesn't," I replied heatedly, "he's protecting me from Team Rocket.

"You have that backwards, dear. He'll bring Team Rocket to our door again!" she replied, gesturing toward the door frame with the blanket dangling off of it, "I can't believe the police even let him stay!"

I shook my head defiantly. "If he leaves, I go with him."

"Don't be stubborn! You'll be safe here, I know it," she said patiently.

"They're looking for both of us now, Auntie. I know it. They might want to find me as much as they want to find him, now."

"Why?!" she yelled suddenly, surprising me, "What the hell makes you think a group like Team Rocket is looking for a little girl?!"

I was startled and did not respond at first, as she had never yelled at me before. "I . . . I'm sorry," she said, wiping her eyes, "I'm just worried for you. I was hoping that Mewtwo was lying." I shook my head in disagreement. "Explain to me, then, what an organization like Team Rocket could possibly want from you."

I knew couldn't tell her what had actually happened. She wouldn't understand. "Well, they'll probably . . . I mean . . . it's like Mewtwo said, they know I have powerful Pokémon," I said, "and that combined with me taking Mewtwo has probably made me a target to them. So . . . it's really for the best that we stick together."

It wasn't a lie. For a while, I knew that Team Rocket had no concern for the lives of Pokémon after seeing what they did to Meganimum and hearing stories from other Pokémon and trainers. But after seeing what Giovanni was about to do to Mewtwo, I finally understood that he was as bad as the rest of them. _You're becoming more convincing_, Mewtwo said out of the blue.

_ You're still here?! _I thought back as my Aunt asked, "Are you alright?"

"Yeah, sorry, just a chill," I laughed halfheartedly to myself.

"Well, if you really believe all that," she also rubbed her head, "I guess it makes sense for Mewtwo to stay, then."

I nodded, trying to reassure her. "He's the best Pokémon to protect us, really."

After she finally stepped out on her errands, Mewtwo reappeared. "She's satisfied with your explanation," he affirmed, "but, why is your . . . why is Arceus being kept from your family?"

"My parents never told them about it, and they never left anything saying I should do it," I said uncertainly, "so I think it'll just have to wait until everybody can know."

Suddenly, my Pokénav dinged. I went to look and saw that messages from yesterday were pouring in. "That's weird, why are these just—"

I stopped talking when I saw who they were from. "What is it?" Mewtwo asked from nearby.

"Nothing," I said, but a little too quickly.

"That didn't seem like 'nothing' to me," he said, his voice mildly suspicious.

I sighed, knowing I had to come clean. Nothing good would come of keeping this from him. "It's . . . my friend Silver."

"Silver?" Mewtwo's expression remained unchanged. "What a . . . unique name," he said finally.

"Yeah, not something you hear every day," I said, my voice unnaturally high.

"Why did that make you nervous, though?" he asked.

I was surprised. "You're . . . really not going to read my mind?"

He blinked at me. "I've come to realize that it's a little invasive to do that, especially since you can't read my thoughts on a whim. Besides," he said, looking up at me, "I trust you." Though I was not technically hiding anything from him, that last part still made my gut twist in guilt. "Also . . . that barrier you put up earlier is actually quite painful," he reluctantly admitted a second later, "but you probably didn't realize at the time."

I shook my head quickly, "No, I had no idea. I didn't want to hurt you."

He smiled a little. "I'm going to get Ash and begin working on the door. You should start watching those reruns with your team while you wait."

I said I would, and he teleported to Ash's house. I stood there for a moment before I looked at the messages again, all delivered in the last day:

**Where are you? **8:47 am, Yesterday

**I heard something happened from some grunts,  
just tell me you're alright. **8:51 am, Yesterday

**Lilly? **9:02 pm, Yesterday

I was panicking as I read them over several times. If I responded, Silver would know I was alive. But if I didn't, how long would he have to believe I was dead?

My choice was made for me when another message was delivered.

**Whoever is reading these, please tell me she's okay. **Now

I groaned loudly to myself, quickly typing back a message.

**It's Lilly. My Pokénav was at  
****the local police station. I'm okay, please don't worry.**

I sent that and threw myself onto the couch, suddenly feeling very drained.

After a few minutes, Mewtwo came back and sat next to me while he communicated with Ash about the door. A short while later he arrived with it, and with Mewtwo staying out of sight they got to work. I laughed as I listened to them argue about what was supposed to go where; clearly neither of them had any idea what they were doing. Mrs. Ketchum had sent Mr. Mime to help, but he was equally useless. Another hour later, and the door was fully functional. It was solid, so there was no risk of anybody peering through the window when we weren't expecting it.

"You did a great job, Ash!" I said when he came inside, his forehead beaded with sweat.

He made a beeline for the kitchen and filled a glass with water, drinking it in one gulp. "Never try to build something with Mewtwo," he gasped out a second later.

"I can hear you," Mewtwo said, feigning annoyance, "I could have done it by myself, you know."

"Anyway," Ash said, putting the glass on the counter, "it's time for you to take me back to Hoenn!"

I got up from the couch and walked over to hug him. "I'll miss you," I said, patting his back, "good luck out there!"

When he let go, he put his hand on my shoulder. "Try not to get taken by Team Rocket again, yeah?"

I laughed half-heartedly, rubbing the back of my neck. I knew he meant well but thinking of yesterday's events still made my skin crawl. "I'll do my best," I said as lightheartedly as I could manage.

"Alright," Ash said as Pikachu hopped on his shoulder, "we're ready!"

Mewtwo came and stood next to Ash. "Be back in a few minutes."

"Bye, Ash! Bye Pikachu!" I said, waving until they vanished in thin air.

I sat down on the couch again. Now that we had a door, I felt comfortable enough to release my Pokémon into the living room. Before I could pick up even one ball from the duffel, I heard shouts from outside. This was followed by the angry cry of a Pokémon, and the door being opened.

"Auntie?" I asked aloud.

But instead of my Aunt, a boy only a few inches taller than me walked in, leaving the door ajar behind him. My heart dropped to my stomach at the sight of him, and I couldn't say anything for a moment. "Get your stuff, we have to go," Silver said urgently, looking around as if he knew which of my things to grab.

"Wh . . . what are you doing here?!" I exclaimed finally, quickly getting to my feet. "You can't just—"

"I'll explain on the—"

There wasn't a moment for me to say anything else before my view of him was obscured by a tall, pale figure.

"Looking for me?"

* * *

Ugh, I just finished writing the next chapter and y'all...y'all are NOT ready for this ending, I'm not even ready for this ending. It's not the ""final"" chapter of this part of the fic yet, but it's finally the "beginning of the ending" if that makes sense.


	45. Chapter 43

**Chapter 43**

All of the anger and despair I felt in the wake of Lilly's death came rushing back as I stood there, blackly glowering at the boy with crimson hair. His eyes were also red, staring back at me as if I was a ghost. Those two attributes were the only things I knew about Giovanni's son, and I knew he must have come to either recapture me or worse, recapture Lilly. In those few moments, a whirlwind of questions went through my mind (_How long was he standing there? _Why_ is he standing there? How did he get inside? How did he know where we were?_), but I pushed all of them aside knowing I had to act before he had the chance to.

"You have come to fight me on your father's behalf, I presume?" My eyes turned blue. "Did he fail to warn you about the threats I so directly made?"

The boy's eyes went to Lilly at the word "threats", then flicked back to me. His breath was shallow and quick, but he was still able to shout out, "G . . . get away from her—!"

My rage boiled over. "I asked you a question!" I slammed him against the wall next to the door with my power, knocking the breath out of him. I snarled as I came close to his face and added, "That's right, I know _exactly_ who you—"

"Mewtwo!" Her call made me choke on the rest of my sentence, but I did not turn away from the boy. _Lilly, _I said to her, _I'm going to send you—_

"No, Mewtwo, put him down!"

To my utter astonishment, she had wedged her way between the boy and me. I froze in horror at the sight of her standing there. "Have you lost your mind?" I gasped, "Get back to the—"

"You're making a mistake!" she exclaimed, "Just let me—"

"Mistake?" I repeated, backing away slightly, "what are you . . . what do you mean? This is Giovanni's son, he's come to—"

"He's just here to check on me!" Lilly said quickly, looking from the boy to me again, "This is my _friend_, he's not going to hurt us!"

The word "friend" felt like a slap to the face, and then her reaction to the messages from earlier finally made sense. I suddenly felt weak as I released him, sitting on the arm of the couch behind me. He was looking at her with wide eyes as she led him to a kitchen chair and sat him down, asking if he was alright all the while. "Lilly, this is . . . Silver?" I was finally able to ask.

"Yes," she said, looking back at me. Silver glared at me when I spoke, and had the nerve to ask Lilly, "I don't understand, are you his . . . hostage or something?"

Something inside me snapped at that question. I saw Lilly try to correct him, but the damage was already done. "_Hostage?_"

My eyes involuntarily started glowing again as I stood up, ready to pin him back against the wall, but Lilly begged, "Mewtwo, wait, calm down for a—"

"Calm down?!" I roared, though I forced my eyes back to normal, "How can you tell me to calm down when you let Team Rocket walk right into this house, and has the audacity to ask if you're _my _hostage?"

"Please, just give me a second to explain," Lilly said, coming over to me, "I don't think he knows about—"

"You're going to trust Giovanni's son? Lilly, listen to yourself!" I practically pleaded with her, "He was probably in the hideout when—"

"No, _you_ listen to yourself," she replied defensively, and I knew that she was referring to our conversation from earlier. Though I was seething at the comparison she was implying, I stopped talking and waited for her to speak. "Yes, it's true that Silver is Giovanni's son, but he's not a member of Team Rocket. We met while I was in Johto and we're rivals, but . . . we're also friends. Silver," she said, looking back at the boy, "Mewtwo is not a threat. I helped him recover from a bad fight with Team Rocket for the last few months, he was hiding here. But recently we had a . . . a bad incident with them, and seeing you scared him."

The boy tore his gaze away from me and looked at Lilly, his expression dramatically shifting at her statement. "Wait . . . you said . . . living here?" Lilly nodded, sitting down next to him, "You _hid_ him from Team Rocket?"

"That's right," she affirmed.

"Are you crazy?!" he exclaimed suddenly, "Lilly, that's the _stupidest_ thing you've ever—"

"I don't remember asking for your opinion, and I don't want it either," she said heatedly, "I did what I knew was right, and I don't regret it for a moment." Silver fell silent as he looked toward the floor. Lilly perhaps could not tell, but I could see he was holding back tears. "So . . . why did you want me to leave earlier?" Lilly pressed.

He resumed glaring at me when he responded, "Why don't you ask him?"

Lilly gasped in surprise, looking between the two of us. "Wait . . . what?"

At the time I also did not know what he was talking about, so I began to read his mind. "Silver," I said, though the name burned my tongue, "can you show us exactly what happened between you and . . . your father?"

"Show?" Silver asked.

Suddenly, we were in Giovanni's office. The two children looked around for a second, then Lilly yelped and ran over to me when she spotted Giovanni behind his desk. "It's just an illusion," I said. Though I was still upset with her dishonesty, I still put my arm around her. But even as I watched him sitting there in Silver's memories, he did not appear very threatening. His face was lined, and there were dark circles under his eyes. He seemed much older as he sat there with his chin on his fists, seemingly contemplating something. Suddenly, the door to his office slid open.

"Son," Giovanni lifted his head, his face reflecting the surprise he felt, "what a—"

Without giving any sort of greeting Silver calmly asked, "Where is she?"

Giovanni was startled by his frankness. "Where is . . . who?" he asked, folding his hands together.

"Don't play dumb!" Silver's voice rose, "The girl that Mewtwo took! The Champion of Kanto! What was she even _doing _here?"

From my years of understanding how he manipulates the truth, I could see something click behind Giovanni's eyes at his son's reaction to this news. He opened his mouth to respond but was interrupted with again. "Why are the grunts saying—" his voice broke on 'saying', but he finished his question, "Why are the grunts saying she's dead?"

Giovanni's next words were gentle as he said, "Are you by chance . . . referring to the tragic accident from yesterday?" Silver gasped at this question before Giovanni continued in a voice that sounded deeply affected, a voice I also knew from our most recent encounter. "It was a nightmare, Silver. I'm still shaken over it, as are the admins who witnessed it."

I recall feeling surprised as I listened to him describe what happened. _He's really going to tell him._ "She had only come to ask for a favor, for protection, but . . ."

As he said that I suddenly knew where his story was going, and it almost made me wish I had finished him off after all. I could not suppress the growl of disgust right before he said the words, "Mewtwo . . . he was ruthless. He came in and . . ."

He looked up at his son, his face pained. "Well, you heard the grunts. He . . . killed her instantly."

I felt Lilly gasp when she heard him say that. _I hate him, _she thought, her grip on me tightening. _I hate him, I hate him!_

"Why didn't you stop him?!" Silver yelled. He was crying by that point. "I don't . . . what could she . . . what was their connection?!" he asked finally.

"We wanted to help," Giovanni reassured him, "but he was too fast, even with the protection in the hideout. He knew exactly what he was doing."

I began shaking in rage as I listened to this. I looked over at the real Silver standing a few feet away, who was angrily staring at the ground. The shoulders of vision-Silver were also shaking with his head slightly bent, he seemed at a loss for words. "Did you know her personally, Silver?" Giovanni asked gently.

After a moment, Silver straightened up and tensed his shoulders in an effort to stop shaking. "When did you start caring?" he asked, wiping his eyes and turning to leave.

"Wait," Giovanni called after him. Silver stopped walking but did not turn around. His next words were carefully chosen. "You might find answers if you go to her Aunt's house in Pallet Town, that's where she was last seen before arriving here. Her Aunt may know something about this." Silver's fist tightened, and he walked deliberately as he left the room before Giovanni could offer any further consolation.

Silver was still looking at the floor when the vision ended. I knew he was ashamed that Lilly had seen him cry. "Lilly," I said quietly before either of them could speak, "this has to be a—"

_I know_, she spoke silently to me and released her grip on my arm, _just give me a minute with him, and then I'll let you send him back to Johto._

"Silver," I heard her say, her voice hoarse, "I'm so sorry, I didn't know—"

"If Mewtwo didn't kill you," he asked through her apology, "why were the grunts saying he did? Why were they saying that you were dead?"

Lilly stopped walking. "So," I began when she didn't respond, my voice dark, "that's really how they're spinning this?"

Silver looked past Lilly when I spoke, his eyes burning. "Spinning what?"

"Mewtwo, please," Lilly said as she shot me a warning look, "let me tell him."

"Tell me what?" Silver asked as he looked back at her.

_Do you_ really_ want to be the one to say it? _I asked as she hesitated.

Lilly took a deep breath. "I . . . I'm so sorry," she apologized again before saying, "It's true that I was dead, but not because . . . Mewtwo would never have—"

"Who did it?" Silver asked quietly.

As I predicted, Lilly could not say his name. "Silver, he didn't . . ." she began to get choked up, "He was aiming for Mewtwo, but I . . . r-ran in the way . . ."

Lilly trailed off as she watched Silver's eyes widen in realization. "No," he said quietly, "don't . . . don't finish that sentence."

"I'm sorry," she wiped her face, "I'm so sorry—"

Silver interrupted Lilly again, but this time by pulling her into an embrace. She hugged him back, and I fought against the gut reaction to teleport him away at that moment. "Stop apologizing," he said quietly, "I'm just glad that you're—"

Shouts sounded from outside, and the three of us froze immediately. I listened intently and heard them; several members of Team Rocket were outside.

I muttered a few choice words under my breath before wrenching Lilly away from Silver with my power, teleporting the moment she was no longer touching him.

It was the middle of the night when we reappeared. The moon was waning, but still gave off abundant light that bathed the flowers in this field. Pink and blue blossoms swayed in the warm breeze; their perfume combined with the scent of the ocean nearby would have been intoxicating, but there was too much adrenaline in my blood. The back of Lilly's shirt was in my grasp, I did not realize that I had actually grabbed her. The first words out of her mouth were, "Where's Silver?"

I let go of her shirt and straightened up without answering, teleporting a few feet away when she turned around to look at me. Her eyes were still wet. "Did you really leave him at the house?"

Of all the things I was worried about at that moment, Silver was the least of them. "My mistake," I retorted, a little more venom finding its way into my voice than I had intended, "did you want to be found by Team Rocket here instead? They were clearly following him!" I added under my breath.

"If they were, they wouldn't have followed us all the way to _Hoenn_," Lilly protested.

"You don't _know_ that." I looked back at her. "Neither of us knows what information they have."

There was a brief moment of silence before Lilly asked, "Couldn't you have just made us—?"

"Stop asking what I could have done," I snapped, "I did the right thing. You're my only priority." Lilly was standing there with her mouth slightly agape. I lowered my voice again, "Perhaps if I had been given _adequate_ warning, I could have done more to protect all of us. But instead, you chose to hide the truth from me, again, for a selfish reason such as seeing your _friend _again?"

"Is that really what you think?" Lilly's voice was rising too, "I _wanted _to tell—"

"Then what stopped you?"

"Well I . . . I thought you would react like . . . that!" she said finally. "I really didn't know he was—"

"Wait a minute, you felt that _my_ reaction was too much?" I asked, putting a hand to my chest in indignation.

"Mewtwo, you _threw_ him against the wall!" Lilly exclaimed and gestured in the empty air. "How is that a normal reaction? You could have really hurt him!"

"If that really was someone from Team Rocket, he could have hurt you!" The conversation was making me very uneasy, but it was not just because Lilly was completely disregarding my fears. "Need I remind you that you were _dead_ yesterday because of that boy's father?" I cried out, coming closer to where she stood. "Yes, if you had told me, I might have been upset at first. But I would have at least let you explain! I . . . I thought he was going to . . . !"

I could not finish that sentence, instead choosing to cover my face with my hands in an attempt to calm down. "I'm really sorry," I heard her say quietly, "I didn't . . . he's _my_ age, he's not killing people. I had no idea that was where your head went." I removed my hands from my face and looked at her. I could see that she felt bad as she continued, "I told him that I was alive and that he didn't have to worry about me, I didn't think he had a reason to just . . . show up like that," Lilly said after a moment. "You were so stressed about them coming back, and I didn't want to worry you more than you already were for no reason."

That should have made me feel better, but I finally realized why her words were not actually helping. My own guilt was weighing heavily on me. "I need you to be able to tell me something like that, Lilly," I said finally, looking away again, "because something could have gone . . . I could have done something—"

"What?" she asked. Though I was not looking at her, I could almost hear her brow crease in confusion. "You're not making sense."

I still couldn't meet her green eyes. "Right after you were killed," I started, "I was . . . obviously angry with Giovanni."

"You said that you threatened Giovanni, right?" she repeated.

I nodded. "I . . . Lilly, I was beside myself with grief." My words felt like they were made of lead when I added, "I said some things to scare him, to . . . inflict the pain I felt when I lost you."

I saw her eyes go to the ground as she put my reaction to seeing Silver, and the words I was saying to her together. When they widened and looked back up at me, I knew she figured it out. "You threatened him . . . with Silver's life?"

The way she asked that made my gut twist into more knots. "I did not know he was your friend," I said in response to her horrified expression, "but at that moment . . . that was what Giovanni deserved, but not Silver. I just wanted to hit him where it hurt." When Lilly's expression did not change, I only grew more worried. "Even if you did not know him, I never would have gone through with it. It never occurred to me that I was going to see him so soon after . . . after everything—"

"I believe you," she said quietly, her expression relaxing, "But . . . why are you telling me this?"

"Because after I saw his memories, if he really had sent Silver after what I said, knowing that I could still be alive . . ." My fists clenched in anger, "it means that to Giovanni, he's just as disposable . . . his own _son_."

My vision suddenly turned blue as I looked around. I needed to destroy something, anything to get rid of this fury I felt toward the despicable man who created me, but that time there was no forest for me to tear up. And with Lilly right there, not only would I risk hurting her, but seeing me like that would have scared her. I almost cried out in anguish, but then I felt Lilly's arms around me and her head press into my abdomen. Her face was wet, and her shoulders trembled. "How can one person," she managed to ask finally, "be so cruel?"

My anger quickly burned into sadness for her and the boy, myself, and fear for our lives, and my vision returned to normal as I wrapped my arms around her and held her to me. We could not go back to Pallet Town then, and she knew it. There would be no time to say goodbye to her Pokémon or her Aunt. Perhaps she would not know what happened to Silver for a long time.

Though we were standing in that ethereal field near the sea everything around me suddenly felt ugly, and I realized even the circumstances that brought us together were harrowing. But she was there, and as imperfect as she was, she was beautiful. I wanted to do everything in my power to make a bright future for her, one where she did not have to be afraid to be herself or to live her life as she chose. I wanted that more than anything, and to be beside her when those days arrived.

_You are wrong about him, _another voice spoke suddenly, making both of us gasp._ There are outside forces at work._

Before I could let go of Lilly, her opal flashed blindingly bright.

* * *

I had to add some last touches to this before publishing, and I was debating putting that last part in the next chapter, but I decided to leave it in this one. I'm weirdly proud of how this chapter came out, but I can't explain why. I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it!


	46. Chapter 44

**Chapter 44**

My eyes opened to nothing but white.

_This . . . this must be . . ._ The flashes of color confirmed my suspicions, and I knew I was back in the strange room from earlier, where I met that little girl. I half expected her to appear again as I looked around, but no one was there. Then, a familiar voice called my name: "Lilly?"

I gasped, not expecting him to be there. Mewtwo? I called back. I finally turned around and saw him hovering nearby, though his eyes were unfocused. How did you get in here? I asked, moving toward him. He still seemed to not have heard me and continued turning his head. _What are you looking for?_ I asked, a little hurt by being ignored.

"Lilly, where are you?" he asked finally.

_I'm right here! _I said as I stopped moving toward him, _Can't you see me?_

_He can neither see you, nor hear you, _a third voice spoke, _you must manifest while you are in here._

_Manifest?_

_You must will him to see you, _the voice tried to clarify.

I did not understand that, either. _Will what?_ But the voice no longer

answered. My attention shifted back to Mewtwo, who was growing more anxious by the moment as he flew about the seemingly never-ending space, frantically calling my name. I continued to call his name. _Mewtwo! Don't be scared, I'm here. Can you see me yet, Mewtwo? Look over here! _"Mewtwo!"

He stopped moving and turned around the third time I called him, his eyes meeting mine. "There you are," he sighed, quickly approaching me, "I was worried that something happened to you again."

I felt my forehead crease in confusion. "'Again'? You mean you've been here before?"

Before he could respond, Mewtwo was interrupted. _Yes, _the voice from earlier said, _he has. _We both turned and were too startled to say anything when we saw the speaker.

The being that stood before us was quite tall, nearly twice the height of Mewtwo. Its fur would have easily blended in with the white background were it not for its black face and chest. Light glinted off his forehead and feet, which seemed to be made of pure gold. But even more noticeable was the gold ornamentation that encased his middle, studded with green gems on the corners. The being's eyes were the same deep green as mine, and the pupils were like hot coals. Though his voice seemed to ring out like a choir of bells, he spoke telepathically. _I have called you both here for an emergency meeting._

"Arceus," I whispered in disbelief.

_I was going to wait until things settled down, but at this rate it seems as though I will be dead before then, _Arceus said with narrowed eyes, glowering down at the two of us as if we had personally tried to do away with him.

I was still too dumbfounded to say anything, but Mewtwo was completely unabashed by Arceus' presence. "Where _were_ you?" he asked tensely, taking a step toward him. "Lilly was almost—" he was cut off suddenly. Though I was slightly behind him, I could see that he was still trying to speak, but no sound left his mouth.

A jolt of irritation ran through the awe I was still recovering from. "What did you do to him?" I asked, looking back at Arceus.

_You still fail to understand that my time spent communicating with you is valuable time I could be using to absorb energy, especially now. But as it pertains to this discussion, I will answer your queries. _Though his words conveyed urgency, the voice with which he said them was calm.

_I was present when Amber came to help you escape the hideout. I was present when I nearly used the last of my strength to get you and Lilly as far from the hideout as I could. _Before I could ask who Amber was, Arceus' gaze suddenly shifted to me. If looks could kill, I might have died again then and there. His voice was still calm when he added, _But I was _not_ present when you recklessly drew power from the Opal to save Mewtwo._

I was shocked by this revelation. "You mean . . . you wanted me to let them kill him?" I asked, stepping in front of Mewtwo.

Arceus' face seemed to twitch. _You humans never cease to amaze me with your selfishness, _he practically sneered._ Did you delude yourself into thinking that I exist to protect you? I allowed you to face Rayquaza because the entire world was at risk, I intervened when you went to save Mewtwo, but throwing yourself directly into the weapon that you knew would kill you?_

"Aren't you supposed to protect all life?" I retorted.

_ Not at the cost of every other being! _Arceus raged finally, the pupils in his eyes growing larger. I felt Mewtwo grab my arm. _You were willing to plunge everything back into chaos, to throw away the future of this entire universe, for a single Pokémon!_

"What chaos are you talking about? You're the one who's being selfish!" I cried out, "I've been living like this for almost thirteen years, and I still don't know a single thing about you, or . . . any of this! How is that fair?"

I looked back toward Mewtwo, whose hand was still on my arm and his eyes fixed on Arceus. I looked back toward Arceus again. "What good is this power if I can't protect the ones I care about? How can you expect me to make these choices if I don't know why I'm making them?!"

Since Arceus had not forced me into silence as he did with Mewtwo, I knew he was hearing what I had to say. After a pause, he spoke with a neutral voice again, _Then, perhaps you are ready to understand who I . . . no, who we are. But first, tell me this: how did it feel to be restrained while someone you cared very much about was to die?_

I did not see how that was relevant to any of my questions, but I answered him. "I was scared, of course."

_What else?_

"I was . . . I mean . . . really scared?"

Arceus shook his head, his movements smooth. _Fear does not give you access to power, remember that. Perhaps you felt a lot of fear, but if that was the only thing you felt, why did you not look away? _I realized that he was right; I never took my eyes off of Mewtwo while Team Rocket did their utmost to weaken him. _What else did you feel?_

There was another moment of silence before I finally answered, "I was . . . angry, I think."

_The word you're looking for is furious, _he said, _and that fury is what allowed you to harness that much power._

"I have to get angry to use my powers?" I asked.

_It was not what you felt, but how much you felt, _Arceus clarified._ But you should refrain from using that power_, _partially because if you try to use more than your body is accustomed to, you will destroy yourself. But more importantly, if I am constantly using that energy, the process of restoring myself will take much longer. The reason you and I are bonded this way is so that I can safely absorb energy from the Universe and recover my full strength._

"Then. . . you existed before I was born?" I asked, still not understanding. "What happened? How did we . . . why me?"

Arceus seemed to sigh. _There is so much you have to learn._

A large, golden ring appeared in front of Mewtwo and I. _There is only time enough to briefly explain my origins this time. _A smoky blackness spread from the inside edges of the ring, and the wisps met in the middle and solidified.

_Many eons ago, there was nothing. Then, there was an explosion of energy. _A bright light flashed from the center of the darkness. _ From the light of this explosion, the Celestial Universe was born. But the light did not reach everywhere, and in the space where it did not reach, the Paralyzed Universe was born._

The explosion eventually condensed and became an ellipse, spinning like the rings of Saturn all the while. _The two beings lived peacefully for a long time and had their own subjects to rule over. But as time went on, the ruler of the Paralyzed Universe grew tired of hearing the whisperings of his subjects, whom gazed longingly at the Celestial Universe each night. "How I wish I could enjoy that light from the Celestial Universe!" they said._

_ The Ruler of the Paralyzed Universe thought if he could bring some more of that energy to the Paralyzed Universe, his subjects would be satisfied. So he sought some of the light of the Celestial Universe, but their ruler denied him any more of their light. "We must have balance," he said, "all the light must remain here." _The border between the Celestial and Paralyzed Universes gradually turned red. _This sparked a never-ending war, threatening to tear the balance of the two Universes apart and ending the existence of all life that existed back then. But from the fighting between Celestial and Paralyzed rulers, I emerged._

An ancient painting of Arceus appeared in the ring, with depictions of the two rulers on either side of him. _Both rulers were shocked when they saw me, but the ruler of the Celestial Universe decided that I was to be the balance between the two Universes, bringing light and darkness to both. And it was so. I was given my own kingdom, the Living Universe. It is filled with subjects of both the Paralyzed and Celestial Universes, but here they have a chance to either move to the Celestial or Paralyzed Universe depending on how they lived._

_ And that is my purpose, to decide which Universe these subjects go to once their time here is done. I have also created other beings to manage things like time and space in this universe._

_ But the ruler of the Paralyzed Universe was not satisfied with this agreement, and only after a few short years into my reign he destroyed me. I was young and not at their strength, so he nearly succeeded. But he could not completely destroy me, and the only thing that remained . . . _He indicated my necklace,_ was that stone, where we are presently._

_ Once the ruler of the Celestial Universe found out, he was devastated, and war resumed for a millennium. Though the war raged, I was not revived. One day, the ruler of the Celestial universe decided that if this stone existed, there was a chance to revive me yet. But the stone needed to be attached to someone of this universe. A host, if you will. But how to choose one?_

_ The ruler of the Celestial Universe did not want a proud host, or someone who would try to take advantage of such a blessing. He wanted someone responsible but unassuming, who would be able to live a safe and quiet life until their time came._

I felt my brow furrow together at this description. _That _was _supposed to be you, but there were . . . complications that he had not anticipated._

The large, golden circle disappeared, and in its place formed a smaller, misshapen ring. _Do you know what your mother's occupation was?_

I was again taken back by his seemingly irrelevant question. Nevertheless, I jumped at the chance to talk about my parents. "A florist," I answered confidently, "my Aunt told me she grew flowers with her Pokémon's help. And my dad was a Pokémon trainer!"

_Correct. _The misshapen ring also turned dark in the middle, and a moment later I was looking at a lush forest. S_he became fascinated in botany because her own parents were botanists, _Arceus continued, _as a child, she was the only one of her siblings who traveled with them as they researched flora all over the Earth._

A strange cry sounded from the ring, and a girl about my age peeked through the bushes. I stared at her for a moment before I realized who it was. "Mom!" I gasped, coming closer to the ring. She seemed to be looking for something as she walked through the jungle. "Look, that's my mom!" I turned to Mewtwo to say, but he was staring past me. My attention returned to the ring when the cry from before sounded again, a little louder that time, and she quickened her pace. Her eyes went wide when she finally saw something, and she took off running.

After a moment she stopped and bent down, and I could finally see what she was moving toward; a small, pink Pokémon I'd never seen before was curled up in the roots of a tree, breathing quickly. From the looks of how its limbs were sprawled out beneath, he was definitely injured. _"Are you alright?" _I heard her ask, scratching behind its small, rounded ears. The Pokémon looked up at her weakly before closing its eyes. "_I'd better get you back to Mom and Dad," _she said before scooping up the Pokémon in her arms, "_they'll know how to help!"_

The vision went dark, and only then did I realize that Mewtwo was tapping my shoulder eagerly. "What is it?" I asked, turning to look at him. His violet eyes were wide, and he was moving his hands as he tried to tell me something. But not even his telepathy could reach me. "Let him speak," I said to Arceus, concerned by his reaction.

_In a moment, _he promised, _but I showed you that because that was the reason you came to be. Your mother unknowingly saved the first Pokémon, and the ruler of the Celestial Universe saw and hoped she would raise her child to have the same compassion toward life._

The vision in the ring activated again, and this time I was looking at a baby with thick, black hair, asleep in the viewer's arms. "That . . . that's me?" I asked, drawing closer to the ring. Arceus nodded. "_Celia,_" a man's voice said quietly, _"you should go rest, I'll take care of her." _The gaze shifted from the baby to a man standing nearby, also with thick black hair. I gasped and put a hand to my mouth; it was my father. "_Alright,_" the woman's voice said gently, "_don't wake her up this time."_ _Mom? _She handed me to the man, who was smiling to himself, and the image went dark.

"Wait, I want to see more!" I begged, "Show me my parents again!"

_At your conception, the energy of this stone was fused to your being, _Arceus continued, ignoring me. _Your parents were informed of this during your mother's pregnancy, and as such kept the pregnancy quiet to the rest of the family._

_ It was the intent of the Celestial Universe's ruler that you grow up happily with them. But the ruler of the Paralyzed Universe learned of the plan to revive me and sought to use the darkness in humans' hearts to put a stop to it. That was something the Celestial Universe's ruler had not anticipated._

The image in the shape grew brighter again, and it looked like my mother was running up the stairs. Shouting could be heard from behind her, but I could not figure out what was going on. She ran into a pastel yellow room, with baby toys and a dark wooden crib, pausing to catch her breath. Then she called out, "_Mew!_"

I gasped as I saw the pink creature appear next to the crib. Now that he was fully alert, I could see that he had large blue eyes and a long tail. _Mew . . . ?! _I looked at Mewtwo, but his eyes were glued to the image in the ring. _"I need you to take her to Little—"_

The Pokémon cries from the battle nearby drowned out her voice for a moment._ ". . . to my sister Chrissy Prescott. She will live there—"_

A gunshot rang out, making the speaker jump in fright, but she kept going, "_Please, you're her only hope of surviving this."_

My mother ran to the crib where I slept and looked at me for a moment, blissfully unaware of what was going on, then she picked me up in her arms and held me to her._ "My Adrianna," _she choked out,_ "I'm sorry I couldn't protect you. I'm sorry I won't get to see you grow up into the wonderful person you're sure to be." _She paused for a moment, sniffling, then continued,_ "I know you're so young, but I hope you remember . . . how much Mommy and Daddy love you. We'll always love you, and we're grateful to have known you_." She pressed her lips to my forehead and tucked a folded piece of paper into my pajamas, then looked back toward the small Pokémon and held me out to it. The Pokémon lifted me with a psychic power and took me into its tiny arms._ "Thank you,"_ my mother said, bringing a hand to her eye, "_thank you for everything."_

The Pokémon didn't move, instead looking back with sadness in its eyes. _"There's no time,"_ my mother said through her tears, _"if you try to stop them, they'll just capture you, too. Hurry!"_

The Pokémon gave one tiny "_Mew!_" before disappearing, just as people had reached the top of the stairs and began entering the room, ones with large, red letter R's emblazoned on their chests. As soon as I saw them, the image went dark.

"No!" I cried, running toward it, "Mom, no—"

_Your mother did not survive, _Arceus said, _she was determined to protect you until the end._

At those words, I crumbled. Mewtwo levitated me before my knees hit the ground and held me to him while I sobbed into his shoulder. "Why did you show us this?" he asked quietly, finally permitted to speak again.

_Yes, it must have been startling to see your parents interact—_

"Mew is not my _parent_," Mewtwo bristled.

_Regardless, Mew was the one who brought news of Lilly's circumstances, and swore to protect her and I from danger when the time came. But . . ._

Arceus looked directly at Mewtwo, _it seems as though his services will no longer be needed with you around._

"How did they know about you? Were you ever going to tell us that Team Rocket was responsible for the death of Lilly's parents, or why?" Mewtwo shouted suddenly, "Or that . . . that _Mew_ was the one who brought her to Hoenn?!"

_Telling you too much will only accelerate the events to come, _Arceus warned, _but as I have stated earlier, Giovanni has more than enough incentive to find Lilly. Once he figures out who she is, he will stop at nothing to destroy us. _Arceus paused for a moment. _There is something else you both should know. Mewtwo, you'll recall that I said I did not know your fate?_

"Yes," he answered stiffly.

_Every being's fate is written. But how we rise to meet it determines if we are, as you say, good or bad, _Arceus continued. _But currently, there are two beings who were pulled directly from the energy of the Living Universe, and their fates are not pre-written. This complicates more than just your own lives. Lilly, you may want to watch this._

Mewtwo stroked my hair and I unwillingly turned around, my face tear streaked. The same ring was there, but in the background, I began to see other rings appear. Each one was uniquely shaped, some intertwining with other rings as they formed_. This,_ Arceus said, _is the fate of every living creature. Each ring has a place and interacts with others as they meet._ The ring where we saw the world from my mother's eyes remained in place as others began to form around it, including one that was almost completely overlapped with it. _When the rings close, it signifies the end of that person's life in this Universe. _But the ring closest to my mother's did not close.

"Who is that?" I asked, wiping my eyes with my wrist.

_You will understand in a moment, _Arceus replied._ Yours, or I should say, ours . . . _from between the open ring and my mother's, a thin, golden line appeared, _looks like this._

_"_It's . . . just a line," I remarked, though it was steadily growing longer. It moved quite slowly out of the center of the two rings, and I was so mesmerized by it that I had not noticed a second one moving toward mine. When they met, the two were sent upwards. _This is the meeting of your and Mewtwo's lives,_ Arceus said, as I stared on in disbelief, _and because of this interaction, the events that were due to unfold much later have begun to do so now, and ones that did not previously exist. Do you understand why it is difficult to predict what will happen now?_

I stared at the thick golden threads continued together, rising like a thermometer. "Would she be safer . . . if I left?" I heard Mewtwo ask quietly.

His expression seemed to darken. _If that would remedy the situation, I would have made it happen. But the damage is done, _Arceus said in a voice that was very disappointed, _separating you two will not change things._

"Is there nothing we can do?" Mewtwo asked earnestly, coming to stand behind me. "How can we protect ourselves?"

_Take Lilly and leave Kanto, _Arceus said decidedly, as if he had already thought about this. _Together you must find a place in Sinnoh and remain hidden. And Lilly, _he looked at me, _if we are to survive this, it is time for us to become truly acquainted. I will tell you what I can as I find the strength to do so but seek out as much information about me as you can without drawing attention to yourself._

I stared at the golden shapes for a little longer. trying to make sense of that open ring. "Lilly," Mewtwo said behind me, "I think that may be . . . your father."

"What?" I choked on the air I inhaled. "My father's been alive this entire time?!" I cried out, looking from Mewtwo to Arceus.

_I cannot further embellish on that,_ Arceus said, cryptic as ever, _but as the ring did not close, it can only mean one thing. _I stared at that open ring, taking in Mewtwo's words more with each passing moment. _This concludes our meeting for today, _Arceus said without waiting for me to ask any more questions, _I will not be able to hold another for a long time, but please . . . _he started to fade away, along with everything else around him, _tread carefully from here on out._

The only thing I felt was Mewtwo's hand still on my arm as the inside of the Opal faded to black.

* * *

Sorry for the delay, I was kind of sick this week! Also, I re-wrote this chapter about four times. This chapter was kind of hard because it was the most dialogue I've written for Arceus ever, but I'm glad that you finally get some context for Lilly / Arceus' relationship here!


	47. Chapter 45

**Chapter 45**

As quickly as we had entered the Opal we were back out in the night air, though the sky was beginning to turn pink by that time. The two of us stood there for a moment in silence, exhausted and overwhelmed by the narrative Arceus had made known. I turned to look at Lilly and saw that she was staring at the ground, her hands dangling by her sides. I watched her for a moment, worried by her blank expression. Then, she spoke.

"I need to lie down for a minute," she said with barely a whisper, already sinking to her knees.

I knew we could not stay there for much longer, as the new day would bring new challengers to this place. But I did not know where exactly we were to go next, so I allowed her to rest there upon the ground. I hovered nearby, trying to quickly think of our next move, but was soon interrupted again.

"Can you hold my hand?" It was the first time she had ever asked me to do something like that, and I was too startled to answer right away. _Hold my . . . hand?_ I looked down at my hands, trying to figure out how one holds a hand. Did she want me to put her hand in mine? And then what? She must have been watching me because she reached up from the ground. "Here, give me your hand." I obliged. She pulled her arm back down, and I gradually alighted and sat beside her.

I suddenly recalled taking her hand when I laid dying in that forest, when she was cold and lifeless on top of me. But in this moment, her four fingers were threaded through two of mine and her thumb was wrapped around the other side. It was not often that I held anything in my hands like that, and the sensation was foreign to me at first, but I felt the muscles in my hand quickly adapt to her small one.

We stayed this way in silence for a few minutes, watching the stars gradually fade away together and inhaling the briny scent of the ocean. I had a strong desire to read her mind but held back, hoping she would tell me herself. "That was a lot for you to witness all at once," I said when I could see the beginnings of a sunrise in the clouds above us. "Are you alright?" At first, I thought she hadn't heard me, but after a moment she said, "I'm okay."

"Do you want to talk about it?" I asked, trying not to appear too eager. But she lazily shook her head once. "I need some time to think."

Bird Pokémon were beginning to chirp. Lilly's eyes were wet and the skin under them was dark as she stared at the sky above, but she was not crying. I felt her squeeze my hand tightly with a sweaty palm. "Are you afraid?" I asked quietly. In lieu of an answer, she twisted toward me and brought her other hand toward mine.

"I'm . . . not afraid," she said after a moment.

If I had eyebrows, that answer would have made me raise one. "Is that so?" I asked, looking down toward her.

"Why would I be?" As she turned her head to look up at me, I saw light slowly returning to her eyes. "For the first time . . . I don't feel like I have to do this alone, you know?" The faintest of smiles played on her face as she said that. "I don't know what's ahead, but . . . I can face my destiny, or anything, with you by my side."

My throat tightened hearing that last phrase, choking off any response I might have had. All I could do was squeeze her hand that was still in mine. "There's so much I don't understand," she continued, looking toward the sky again, "Everything Arceus said . . . it's all connected somehow. I just need to put the pieces together."

I cleared my throat. "Then, we must go to Sinnoh," I said, looking back toward the Pokémon League. "We'll be able to find some of our answers there. But first . . . there's the matter of actually living there."

"Aunt Charlotte said I have an uncle in Sinnoh," Lilly began, "but . . . he might have a family. I don't want to . . . I don't want Team Rocket to . . ."

I felt her hands start to shake. "We do not have many options given our circumstances," I said carefully. "You cannot very well rent a place, as you're so young. Living in a hotel would also make you look suspicious, and you would run out of money very quickly," I added before she could suggest it.

"We could maybe . . . live outside," she mumbled, half to herself.

"No, you need Pokémon to do that." I replied. "You don't have a team, remember? And you certainly cannot start a new one once we arrive."

Lilly released my hand and covered her face with her hands. "Don't remind me," she sighed loudly, kicking the ground with her heels, "I'm gonna lose my mind!"

I knew she was upset, but I still could not help but find a little humor in her reaction. I levitated her and sat her back to mine, as I was growing tired from sitting. I let my tail drape over her legs behind me. "Perhaps you could have Pokémon once some time passes," I said, trying to be positive, "but for now it is too great a risk, you could draw attention to yourself." I felt her back expand as she sighed again, then she leaned her head against my shoulder.

"Do you recall the name of the town?" I asked, looking behind myself and at the top of her head. "Your aunt visited her brother during the business trip. This is your uncle, I presume?"

"Yeah," Lilly answered, "she said . . . he lives in a town with a daycare, right?"

"Ah!" I gasped as I sat up quickly, making her fall backwards. "I must not have been paying attention when she said that. Wait here a moment." I was gone before she could chide me for moving so abruptly.

Arriving in Sinnoh's largest city, Jubilife, I began to fervently search the minds of those around me. Only a few minutes passed before I found someone speaking excitedly about the newfound strength of their Pokémon. When her friend inquired, she mentioned the name of the town where the daycare was located. I quickly teleported back to Lilly to tell her. She jumped when she saw me.

"He lives in a place called Solaceon," I said with a nod. She started to get to her feet. "Will we go there right now?" she asked, hesitation weighing her words down.

I considered that for a moment, but ultimately decided against it. "We will leave from Kanto by boat," I decided. "If Team Rocket is still only looking for me, us teleporting to Sinnoh may also arouse suspicion. It will be safer this way."

Lilly looked down at her shoes. "Then I . . . I want to say goodbye to my team," she said quietly. The pain in her voice was heartbreaking, but I had to be firm in my refusal. "We cannot—"

"But Mewtwo, I . . . I can't just _leave_ them again!" She grabbed at my arms, her eyes growing wide. "They'll never forgive me!"

"Your team will understand, I know they will," I said calmly, despite her desperation. "All they care is that you're safe, right?"

"But I don't know what happened when the Rockets came! I need to know if my aunt and Silver are okay, too!"

"They must be alright," I tried to reassure her, "even if the police were not there, Silver seems more than capable of holding his own. He will make a fearsome trainer someday."

She was not even appeased by me complimenting Silver. "I need my team to know that I'm alright!" Her voice wavered as she said that, "I-I'm . . . I just got back to them—"

"I will find a way to tell them once we safely arrive at our destination. Will you calm down for a moment and listen to reason?" I shrugged my arms out of her grip and placed my hands on her shoulders.

"You saw how . . . useless I was at the hideout." I hated using that word, but it was the truth. "Going back to your house today is a risk I cannot take, no matter how unlikely it is that Team Rocket is still there. We were lucky last time, but no amount of luck will save you, or even me, if we run into them again so soon."

I watched her swallow the rest of her argument at that last statement. "I know that I've been wrong before, but I am certain that going back now, no matter how briefly, could make things worse for everybody."

"I know," she murmured, reaching up to wipe her eyes with her wrist, "I understand now."

I sensed that someone was coming from the mouth of the cave, which was not too far from us. "We must go," I said before taking the both of us back to Kanto.

It was nearing midnight when Lilly emerged from Diglett's Cave, appearing alone. She would soon arrive at the port city of Vermillion just before the night ship departed for a faraway country, carrying on it hundreds of people and Pokémon from all walks of life. I watched from high above, keeping an eye out for any suspicious figures as she walked up to the ticket counter. A red-faced man stood behind a window, looking at her skeptically when she approached. I waited for her ask for one ticket, but instead her question was, "How much is a ticket to Sinnoh?"

I reactively put a hand to my forehead. _Lilly, you don't have any money!_

We had rehearsed her lines to the vendor at least ten times to make my eventual intervention as seamless and ingenuous as possible. She was only supposed to request a ticket; it would not be deceit if she never said she would pay for it. Unfortunately, Lilly wouldn't even be able to play her "I'm a champion of this region" card to get out of this, as not only did she not have her identification but we were also trying not to draw attention to ourselves.

He raised an eyebrow. "Do your parents know you're here?"

Lilly stiffened at the word 'parents.' "They've sent me to visit family in Sinnoh by myself," she said, looking away from his scrutinizing gaze.

"I apologize miss, but we do not allow passengers under the age of—" the speaker stopped, his eyes flashing blue for a brief moment. His words suddenly became flat as they turned into mine. "Actually, children under the age of thirteen may travel aboard free of charge." This was not the case, but nobody was around to refute his statement.

The ticket vendor swiftly presented a card with a room number printed in silver, and Lilly took it with a trembling hand. "Right this way, miss," the man said listlessly, pressing the button next to the microphone he spoke into. The allowed her to pass through the gate and onto the dock, where she walked timidly, dwarfed against the larger yachts and cruise ships bobbing gently in the harbor.

"Last call for tonight's Sinnoh departure!" a woman's voice shouted, and Lilly hastened toward one of the larger ships. She paused to look behind her for a moment. _I'm here, _I put my hand on her shoulder, _let's hurry. _She inhaled and continued onward, at last arriving in front of the S.S. Coronet_. _A young woman stood with her hands behind her back, surprised when she saw Lilly approach her. But Lilly stood with a much more convincing aura than before, and the woman's face relaxed.

"May I see your card, miss?" she asked. Lilly held her card out for the woman to see, and after a nod she was allowed to board.

The collector looked around for any last-minute passengers before calling out, "Anchors aweigh!" and following Lilly up the ramp and onto the ship.

* * *

So close to the end! Maybe one chapter plus an epilogue left :-) hope you enjoyed!


	48. Chapter 46

Thanks everybody for being so patient! "I hope you'll forgive me," as Mewtwo says in this chapter, because I have TWO chapters for you today! I wrote the second one soon after finishing this one, it just came out easier once this one was done.

I hope you enjoy :^)

* * *

**Chapter 46**

"Mewtwo, I think I've eaten enough for both of us, for the entire trip," I groaned.

"Three days' worth of food? I sincerely doubt that."

I was flat on my back, sprawled out among several empty plates on the plush duvet. My belly felt like it was about to burst from all the food Mewtwo had summoned to the room, probably to the confusion of the chefs preparing it for other guests. I was starving, but I had definitely eaten too much. The plates were suddenly gone, and I rolled over to my front, enjoying the size of the queen-sized bed that took up about a quarter of the cabin.

"Too full for dessert, I take it?" Mewtwo asked. I hesitated for a moment, but ultimately shook my head 'yes,' which made him laugh.

Thanks to Mewtwo, we arrived on the ship without any problems despite not having a dollar to my name or any sort of ID. As soon as we walked into the cabin, he revealed that he purposely had not selected one of the suites ("We could draw attention that way"), but I was just impressed that it had its own bathroom, a TV, and a massive bed. I'm told that I threw myself onto the bed and fell asleep without so much as a "good night."

That morning I woke up alone, but he had pulled the blankets over me sometime after I fell asleep. The bed was so comfortable that I pulled the covers over my head and pressed into the mattress, only coming out when Mewtwo reappeared with breakfast. I had not eaten since lunch the previous day, so I quickly ate it.

When I expressed wanting to go above deck, it was then that Mewtwo instructed me not to leave the cabin for any reason. I had protested at first, but he was adamant, and I did not want to worry him. He soon left again with the promise of returning with good news later. When I tried to ask where he had gone the night before and when he was going to go check on my Aunt and Pokémon, he said he would explain once he was back.

I was left with no choice but to think back on what Arceus said the previous day. When that became too overwhelming, I tried to find something on TV that would keep me from my thoughts.

Mewtwo came back that night, apologized for missing lunch, and started summoning all kinds of food from the kitchen before I could ask him where he had been. I had not really moved since breakfast that morning, but I was starving and ate whatever he summoned.

Once dinner was over and I was full of regret, I laid there half wishing to die and desperately wanting to do something other than pace around the room or watch TV. "Please let me go above deck for a little bit," I begged. "I've been stuck in here all day. I'm gonna die of boredom!"

To my surprise, Mewtwo did not say 'no' right away. "It is for the best that you stay hidden in here," he replied, though not as decisively as he had said it earlier. I sensed that he was beginning to crack and did not let up on asking.

"Pretty please?" I asked again, looking at him hopefully. When he looked away, I added, "It's almost dark out, nobody's going to care about little old me walking around."

"Team Rocket will if they happened to send a spy on board," Mewtwo muttered in reply.

"But spies can be _anywhere_!" I huffed, resting my head against the bed again, "are you going to keep me locked up in Sinnoh, too?"

Though I was not looking at him, I could sense that he felt bad. "Thirty minutes," I heard him say, "and I'm coming with you."

"Yay!" I was excited but still had to sit up slowly, as I was still very full. I grabbed his hand as I walked past him and slipped on my sneakers. "C'mon, let's go!"

He took his hand out of mine before vanishing. "Remember, you are alone on this ship."

"Yeah, yeah, I got it," I said impatiently, "can I open the door now?"

_Yes, go ahead._

The sky was overcast as I stood peering over the edge of the ship and into the dark, churning waters below. My hair was whipping all around and I quickly tied it up with the band on my wrist. "The last time I was this far out at sea was when I was leaving Hoenn," I loudly remarked over the noise.

_Inside voice, _Mewtwo reminded me.

"But no one's here," I said, gesturing at the empty deck behind me, "Who's gonna hear me with this wind, anyway?" I heard him sigh audibly next to me, but he did not seem to disagree. "I know you're just trying to keep me safe, and you're doing a great job. But keeping guard and staying hidden all the time is gonna get tiring for both of us."

_We'll have more freedom in Sinnoh, _Mewtwo said, _though I still will not appear in public with you for the time being._

"Is that where you've been going? To Sinnoh?" I asked.

_Yes. I've been making preparations for our arrival._

"What kind of preparations?" I asked, turning toward where I knew he was standing.

_Well, I had to explore the town where we shall live and the surrounding area, and alert your uncle—_

I gasped. "Wait, you went to meet my uncle?! Don't you think . . . isn't that a bit much?"

There was a moment of silence, then Mewtwo understood what I was asking. _You thought I appeared in front of him? I have more foresight than that, Lilly, _Mewtwo half laughed to himself.

"You didn't meet him in person, then?" I asked, confused.

_I found other ways to communicate. A note here, a dream there. It seems to be working so far._

_ Oh no. _I put a hand to my face. "Mewtwo, that's worse. I would have just written him a note myself, he's gonna think he's going crazy, or that . . . you're a Ghost—!"

_Don't worry, I was very clear that I was not a Ghost Pokémon in my second note, _Mewtwo said.

I turned and started walking along the ship's deck, looking out at the sea. "Let me write a note if you go again," I said, "I think it'll be more believable if it's coming from me."

_Very well. I will return once more tomorrow._

A heavy fog was beginning to settle over the ocean as nightfall approached, and I felt a chill in the air. _Are you not curious about him?_

Admittedly, I had been. "What's he like?" I asked, stopping near the very front and resting my arms on the edge. "Does he have a family? Does he know why we're coming?"

_A husband, and a child of two years old._

My heart sank at the last few words, I knew Mewtwo had sensed it when I felt his hand on my shoulder. _It will be alright, _he reassured me, _no harm will come to them._

"We don't know for sure," I murmured back, "Do they know why we're coming? Or what they're risking by letting us in?"

_I acknowledge that my intentions are selfish, but we are taking all the precautions necessary to avoid what happened at your aunt's house. I was away for so long because I was busy scouring Sinnoh for any sign of Team Rocket, and I have yet to find a single one. There's not a chance they tracked us onto this ship, but I'm still being cautious and keeping you inside as much as possible for these three days._

I knew he was right. But I also knew that if Team Rocket came to that house, I would never forgive myself. "How long do we have to stay there?" I asked.

Mewtwo was silent for a moment. _However long it takes to make sure we are ready for another encounter with Team Rocket, _he said finally.

I knew he would say something like that. I looked back out at the ocean. "I won't be ready for them without a team," I said quietly, "and to have a team, I need to train Pokémon."

_Under no circumstances, at least not right away, _Mewtwo warned. _That's just asking for trouble._

"Mewtwo, I've been able to win against Team Rocket every single time I've had my team with me."

_And what if they are not with you again next time? _He took his hand off my shoulder, probably to gesture with his question. _I need to . . . I mean, we need to figure out what you're—_

"I know, I know, it's time to figure out my powers or whatever. But who knows how long that's gonna take! Having a team will be an extra defense, it's not something to be afraid of!"

_They will find us much faster if you become famous in Sinnoh, and . . . I need to be ready this time._

"I promise I'll keep to myself and just train against wild Pokémon," I pleaded.

_You and I both know that battling exclusively with wild Pokémon does not make for a strong team. _I was out of arguments, but I was absolutely not ready to give up having Pokémon in my life. _There's no need to decide how to proceed with this right now. _That time, I felt both of his hands on my shoulders. _We should go back inside, you're shivering. I brought you some stuff from your aunt that you might like to have._

"Seriously?" I yelped. I startled him so much that his hands flew off my shoulders. "When were you going to tell me that you went back?!"

_I waited for a reason. I hope you'll forgive me, _he said sheepishly.

"Let's hurry back!"

I turned to run down to our room again but stopped in my tracks. Through the dense mist ahead shone two glowing blue lights, and I could just make out a dark figure behind them. I would have thought the lights to be Mewtwo's eyes, but these were the color of the shallow waters surrounding Kanto's Sevii Islands; light blue tinged with a hint of green. Still, who else could they belong to?

I felt something bump me from behind and gasped. "Why did you stop running?" I heard Mewtwo ask aloud.

I whipped around and saw that he was visible, then back to the blue lights that were still in front of us. "Can't you see them?" I whispered, looking back at him.

"See what, Lilly?"

I pointed before turning back around. "Those lights right there!"

" . . . The emergency phone light?"

"What?" I turned back around to see that the figure had vanished, but there was a single blue light piercing through the fog that I had to assume was the device that Mewtwo was referring to. "No, there were two of them, like . . . like eyes!" I insisted, looking back at him.

"The fog is heavy, I'm sure it looked like two lights for a moment," Mewtwo said gently. "Come, let's get you into some warmer clothes."

He moved in front of me before disappearing again, and I followed behind. He was invisible but his body parted the fog where he moved through it as if he was carving a path for me.

After we passed it, the light of the emergency phone turned red, its original color.

Once we were back inside, Mewtwo had me sit down on the bed and lifted my bag up onto it. It looked as if it was about to burst at the seams; I was impressed that anybody had gotten it to close at all. "Your aunt wanted to send me back with . . . some things," Mewtwo had said in response to my wide eyes, "I told her I could only take what she could fit into this bag."

He then went on to explain that whoever had followed Silver to my house was apprehended before they even set foot inside, according to my aunt. She said she came home to find three officers and the boy engaged in battle with six members, all of whom were arrested when additional reinforcements showed up. After they were taken away, Silver had approached my aunt to tell her that I was safe somewhere with Mewtwo. But just as he was about to leave, she inquired his name. "I'm a friend," was all he had said.

"So, everybody's fine, then?" I asked.

"Yes, all is well. Team Rocket will know that we're no longer there, they won't come bothering her again."

"That's a relief," I said with a sigh.

"Go on, open the bag," Mewtwo insisted, sitting on the dresser across from the bed.

I tugged gently at the zipper, which seemed to slide open itself from the sheer volume of its contents. After a moment of rummaging, I realized that Aunt Charlotte had stuffed as many clothes as she could fit. That was a bit of a waste, as I knew I was starting to outgrow most of them a little. _Well, they'll fit for a little longer,_ I said to myself.

Among the clothes were some other essentials that I had left behind, and a couple of my favorite energy bars. I was a little disappointed that my new Pokénav was not inside; not only were all the photos I took of my Pokémon on there, but I also had hoped to contact some close friends to let them know where I was headed.

Something fell out of one of the sweatshirts and onto the bed, and I realized it was the photo of my parents and I from when I was practically a newborn. "I thought you might want to have that with you," Mewtwo said as I picked it up.

Seeing their faces reminded me of the vision Arceus had shared with me earlier, but I did not want to think about it at the moment. "Yeah," I said, placing it beside me, "thank you for grabbing it for me."

The bag was basically empty by that point, and that was when Mewtwo said, "I may have lied. There's one thing that couldn't fit inside."

"Huh?" Mewtwo held out a cardboard cylinder and took off the lid, allowing me to reach inside. I pulled out a piece of paper that quickly unfurled, revealing a photograph of five Pokémon.

"She thought you would want to have that with you as well," Mewtwo said, coming to sit next to me. "Look, even Gyarados posed."

I lifted one hand to cover my mouth as I half-laughed, half-sobbed at the thought of her listening to my Aunt. Mewtwo reached out and held the other corner in his hand before it fell into my lap. "They wanted to make sure you knew that they still love you, very much." I nodded and leaned against his shoulder, wiping my eyes with my sleeve.

"Where . . . where will they—"

"Ash's mother took them to Professor Oak," Mewtwo answered for me, "they'll live well at his lab until we can come back and get them."

I was fine after a few minutes but had to put the photo back in the tube before I started crying again. "Thank you," I said, "for going back."

"It was no trouble, I had assumed they were gone by then," Mewtwo replied.

I stood up and stretched, the discomfort of being full finally starting to fade away. "Now that I have some clothes, I'm going to go shower," I said, placing the tube on the dresser and grabbing some lounge clothes from the pile on my bed.

"Before you go in, write a note to your uncle for me to bring," Mewtwo said, grabbing a small notebook from another part of the pile and a pen from the dresser.

I had already thought about what I was going to say earlier, so I was nearly done in under a minute. "Where are we docking again?" I asked as I was wrapping up.

"This ship will dock at Hotel Grand Lake," he replied, "but your uncle knows that already."

I finished the message and signed my name at the end. "Are you heading back over already?" I asked, handing the notebook back to him.

"Yes, I'll be gone for tonight as well," he said, "but this should be the last night."

"Okay, good luck," I said, heading toward the bathroom with my clothes. "See you in the morning."

"Yes, tomorrow . . . we ought to address what we saw in the vision."

I stopped in the doorway to the bathroom. "Okay," I said, looking back at him, "I'll be ready."

Mewtwo left while I was in the shower. I dried my hair and threw on the pajamas Aunt Charlotte had packed, then shut the light and curled up beneath the thick blankets.

I was almost asleep when another light seemed to flick on from the doorway, but this one was blue. Only half-awake and facing toward the window, I mumbled, "You're back already?"

There was no response, and I wondered if he had not heard me. I turned from the window as I repeated, "You're back al—?"

I gasped and sat up in bed.

Whatever was in the room, it was not Mewtwo.


	49. Chapter 47

**Chapter 47**

The home of Lilly's uncle was starkly different from that of her aunt's, in that everything seemed to be made of wood.

Thick wooden beams stretched under a high ceiling, which was covered in a wood so light that I almost thought it was white. The floor was dark wood, and the furniture was also wood for the most part. My eye always went to the only place that seemed to be without wood; dark stones mounted on part of the wall surrounded a space that looked as if it was meant for building fires, which sat empty at the moment. _Isn't that a bit dangerous with all the wood? _I had thought to myself.

It was early in the morning and the child was awake and eating breakfast with Lilly's uncle, who looked half asleep as he spooned hot cereal into his gaping mouth. I had never seen a baby up close before, and they looked quite different from the humans I was used to looking at. Tiny hands and feet were attached to arms and legs shaped like several dinner rolls and a large, unsteady head that was supported more by the strange chair he sat in than his seemingly nonexistent neck.

_This is really how all humans start out? _I thought to myself as I watched from behind the counter separating the kitchen from the living room. _They're so feeble. How do they change so drastically? _As if he heard my voice, the small human looked over with wide, brown eyes and pointed, loudly babbling incoherently. Lilly's uncle seemed unphased by this and tried to direct his attention back to the spoon in his hand.

The husband emerged from what I presumed to be their bedroom, fully dressed in a business suit. He kissed the uncle and child good morning and grabbed a piece of toast from the plate in the middle of the island. "I'm off," he said after taking a bite and grabbing his jacket from the chair next to the uncle, "have a great day, you two!"

"Bye, darling," the uncle waved from his seat at the table. The small human even shouted something resembling a goodbye.

The front door closed, and the two of them were left alone. I then quietly placed the small notebook on the table next to the child's breakfast. The uncle did not notice right away, but the child did. "Da-da-da-da!" he cried, banging on the table with his free hand.

"What's up, squ—" When he noticed the notebook, he jumped and dropped the spoon, making the child screamed with laughter. He picked up the spoon and placed it nearby before grabbing the book and opening it to the first page, where Lilly had started her note. I had forgotten to read it earlier and read along over his shoulder.

When he had finished, he closed the notebook. "Mew . . . two?" he asked timidly, turning his head about. I appeared on the other side of the island, which also excited the baby. "You can understand me, right?"

It took all my focus to not scoff at the statement. "Yes. I can speak as well, as a matter of fact."

I knew he recognized my voice as soon as I spoke. "You're the one who's been trying to tell me about this for the last day or so!" I nodded as he stared at me in disbelief. "You're . . . a real Pokémon?"

That statement made me feel uneasy. "Forgive my curiosity, it's just that my husband researches Pokémon, and I've never heard your name come up. Is there a . . . 'Mew-one' that you evolved from?"

I elected to ignore his question in hopes that he would drop it. "I take it by your lack of refusal that you and your husband will not object to our presence in this house?"

It worked. "Object?" he shook his head, "Not at all, I'd love to finally meet her! We have a spare room downstairs she can stay in. Is she really on her way?"

"Yes, we will arrive in—"

I choked on the rest of my sentence, suddenly unable to draw breath. His son started to babble some more as the uncle stood up. "Are you alright?" he asked, his brow creasing together.

I imagined this was similar to what Giovanni felt when I choked him, as I had not experienced this sensation firsthand. I managed to say "Please . . . refer to the note . . ." before disappearing again.

When I reappeared just outside of the ship, my head was spinning from a lack of oxygen. _I have to . . . get to the . . ._

I teleported again. I ended up inside the ship, but in the wrong room. Luckily the family there was asleep, and I was gone before their Pokémon could wake up.

I reappeared outside of the room with our number on it, leaning against the wall for support. _What . . . the hell—_

I heard Lilly groaning on the other side of the door. I focused and teleported one last time into the room, staring in disbelief at the sight before me.

There was a black being with glowing teal eyes, but it was hard to make out what shape he was in the dark behind him. I did not get a good look at Lilly or the creature before I lunged and disappeared with the being in my grasp.

We appeared about a mile away from the ship, where I finally felt air rush into my lungs before hitting him with a wave of energy. "Who are you?!" I growled.

In the light of my next readied attack and our glowing eyes, I got a good look at the thing attacking Lilly. It was difficult to tell where it ended and the night began, but the place where its head should be was marked by a red neckpiece, something white resembling hair on the top, and those ominous eyes. It did not respond, but its eyes narrowed as I examined it.

_A Psychic type?_ Its voice was not particularly loud, but something about it made me shudder as if a freezing wind had suddenly blown over the sea.

_Is this . . . a Pokémon? _Though I had not been alive for very long at that point, it still surprised me that there was a Pokémon I did not know about. "You have _three_ seconds to answer my question," I threatened, aggressively drawing my arm back.

Its eyes seemed to glow brighter. _Perfect. _Without warning, it vanished just as I sent my attack flying. It reflected off the waves for a moment before dissipating into the night air. I moved out of the way just in time to avoid his attack from behind, a physical one from his three-fingered hand. _You will be easy to defeat!_

I snarled in frustration, sending another attack flying at it. I grunted in triumph when it landed but gasped a moment later as it seemed to move right through him. "What?!"

The being laughed and sent its own attack at me. It did not look particularly powerful, but the force at which it hit me pushed me down into the water below. I cried out; I had not taken a hit that strong in ages. The Pokémon came down to meet me and tried slashing at me with its hand again, but I teleported behind it and tried attacking again. It was as useless as it was a few seconds ago, and that was when I knew it really was a Pokémon. _Dark Type, _I growled to myself, vanishing before it could land a hit on me.

_Do not underestimate me, _I spoke telepathically as the being looked around. When I reappeared, I was ready with an Aura Sphere. The effect was satisfying; the Pokémon cried out and was knocked back so far that I could almost no longer see it. It did not have a chance to recover before I teleported behind it and sent one crashing down onto its head. It screamed again as it sank into the depths below before vanishing. _That'll keep it busy, _I thought to myself before teleporting back to Lilly.

When I reappeared, the room was still dark but smelled strangely of smoke. "Lilly?" I called, rushing to the bed, "Are you al—"

Two things happened before I could finish my sentence. First, her eyes opened, and I almost cried out in shock when they were those of Arceus': green with red pupils, and they were glowing. _Did she transform?!_

The second was that she grabbed my shoulders and shoved me into the wall across from the bed. I cried out, her hands searing into me as she tightened her grip. "Lilly, it's me!" I said through gritted teeth, trying not to be any louder. Her own mouth was a tight grimace and her eyes were wide, yet she didn't seem to see me. I finally could no longer bear it and pushed her off of me, but she cried out again and grabbed me by the cord on my neck. That pain was unbearable, and I instantly teleported both of us into the ocean just outside of the boat.

She released me and began choking in the water. I put a forcefield around us and expelled the water, hoping that was enough to wake her up. But her hands still burnt as she clung to me and cried out, the water on her turning to steam. "Wake up!" I begged, clamping my own hands on her shoulders despite the pain.

I looked at her hands and felt my stomach drop; her fingers were starting to blacken like the woman from the hideout's had. The color slowly began to spread up her hands, she was using too much power. _She's going to kill us both if I don't think of something soon. _But it was almost impossible to think clearly through the pain she was inflicting.

_Redirect it, _a faint voice said.

"What?" I cried out weakly, feeling myself losing consciousness.

_You must channel it for her. She does not yet know how to do it._

And then I understood. I shut my eyes tightly and groaned as I began to send the energy to the forcefield surrounding us.

To my surprise, it turned from purple to gold. My breathing slowed as the burning pain quickly dwindled away, and a steady hum began to ring in my ears. The energy I felt was unlike anything I had experienced before. I was at my limit, toeing the line between life and death by doing this. But as long as I remained calm, I knew I could keep this up for several minutes.

Though I could not see her face at that moment, Lilly seemed to calm down as well as her cries turning into low whimpers. I tried to wake her again. "You're safe now," I said quietly, "the intruder is gone."

She let out a rattling sigh and fell against me, her breathing also beginning to slow. With a final grunt, I dispelled the energy into the water around us, making the forcefield disappear before teleporting us back into the room. I fell against the bed with her in my arms; we were both soaking wet and smelling of the sea. I laid there for a moment, exhausted by the ordeal I just went through. Then I took her hands and healed them with my power, after which I slowly began to heal myself where she had burnt me. Several minutes into this process she woke up, sitting up so fast that I was afraid she had turned back into that strange form from a few minutes ago. But in the reflection of the light of my recovery, I saw that her eyes were the green I knew, and I breathed a sigh of relief.

"Where did that . . . wait, what happened to you?" she asked, stumbling off the bed and looking at me as I healed myself. Then she realized her clothes and hair were soaked. "And why are we wet? Did I fall into the ocean?"

"I wish that was all that happened," I whispered as I continued regenerating.

"Did you fight it?" Lilly ran to turn on the light, then gasped when she saw the state of the bed. "Where did these burns come from? Was that powerful?" She grabbed my hand, her eyes large with worry.

"I'm alright," I said, closing my eyes, "I . . . taught it a lesson." I finally finished healing as I said that, sitting up against the wall behind me. "Was that the Pokémon from earlier? The lights from the deck you saw?"

Lilly nodded vigorously. "It must have been!"

"What exactly did it do to you?" I asked.

"I . . . I'm not sure," she admitted, "it all happened so fast."

She began to explain that she thought it was me teleporting back into the room. But when she saw the Pokémon approach her, she had screamed and sat up in bed. She went on to say that it had threatened to sink the ship if she did not surrender the Opal to him, which she, of course, could not do. The last thing she remembered was sinking into a strange blackness. "And then I woke up, and you were there," she concluded.

_The events between . . . I wonder if her power blocks her own memory._ I thought suddenly to myself.

The bed was both singed and wet, but the smell of smoke was drowned out by the salty tang of the ocean. We stripped the bed and I removed the rest of the water from the mattress (which, luckily, was unsinged) with my power before she called the main desk to request new sheets. It was nearly three am by the time Lilly had finished showering for the second time and she got back into bed, exhaustion lining her face. Without asking, I also got into bed and draped my arm across her middle, hoping that would be enough to keep the darkness at bay should the creature return.

"Are you . . . not going back out?" I heard her ask in surprise.

"Nope," I mumbled into the second pillow as I telepathically flicked off the light. "I'm staying right here. Don't know if that thing will come back."

She did not respond at first, then proceeded to turn toward me and drape her own arm around my middle. "Okay," she mumbled into me.

"We're getting you a team when we get to Sinnoh," I added, nearly asleep by that point.

I felt her head whip up to look at me. "Really? You mean it?"

"Yeah . . ."

I was asleep before I could complete my thought.


	50. Chapter 48

For those of you who stuck through to the end... thank you. 

* * *

**Chapter 48**

A strange vibrating sensation pulled me from my sleep that morning.

I opened my eyes slightly, trying to decide if it was some new form of a headache, but it did not feel painful. I felt Mewtwo's arm and tail around my shoulders and waist, drawing me close to him. His hand cradled the back of my head, pressing my forehead to his skin. That was when I realized that his chest seemed to be rumbling when he exhaled.

This would soon change, but it was not a sound I heard any other Pokémon make. Worried that something was wrong, I almost sat up to wake him. But he was breathing deeper than I knew he even could, and the rumbling did not seem like a bad sound; admittedly, it was pretty relaxing. I closed my eyes again and listened, feeling the tension in my forehead melt away with each vibration.

Another moment passed and I began to feel the ache in the rest of my body, as if I had climbed a mountain the previous day. If I had made a sound, I didn't hear it, but Mewtwo's breathing quieted and he suddenly moved back to look at me. "Are you alright?" he asked, his voice a little hoarse from sleep.

I rubbed my eyes. "I'm sore," I murmured back, resting my arms in front of myself again.

He did not say anything at first. That was when I finally realized: it was the first time I had actually seen him sleep. "You can . . . sleep?" I asked, looking up at him.

A low grunt resonated from his chest when he exhaled. Was it laughter? "What did you think I was doing when I locked myself in that room? Staring at the ceiling?"

"Kind of seemed like it," I admitted.

"Sleep makes an easy target. In most cases, I have to be seriously weakened in order to resort to that," he explained. He stretched his limbs and rolled onto his back. "But at this moment, I feel more rested than ever. I may have to try it more often."

"What kind of enemies do you—"

I froze, suddenly remembering the previous night. A chill ran through me when I recalled how the Pokémon threatened to destroy the ship, how it sent me falling into a cold, inky blackness, and finally waking up bathed in the calming light of Mewtwo healing himself. "Mewtwo," I sat up, still looking at him, "what happened with that Pokémon? Do you know what it was?"

"No, I was not able to identify it." He sat up next to me. "But seemed to know who you were, which concerns me—"

"Did it hurt you?" I interrupted him.

He shook his head. "Hardly a scratch," he said quickly, "I made short work of it. That thing put up quite a fight before I finished it off, though."

"Then . . . why did you have to heal yourself?" I asked.

Mewtwo realized his mistake, but it was too late to take back his answer. He opened his mouth to say something but closed it again. I gave him a disapproving look as I said, "You're as bad as I am with hiding stuff."

"That is not true. But if I hide something from you, it's to protect you," he said with conviction.

"What could you be protecting me from by hiding that your opponent was strong? Shouldn't I _know_ about that?"

He was quiet for a moment as he thought. "My opponent did not harm me to the point where I had to restore myself," Mewtwo said cautiously, "I was honest about that much."

"Then if—"

My gaze shifted when Mewtwo put his hand on my shoulder. "Please do not press me on this," he said gently, "why don't we get some—"

"I did it . . . didn't I?" I whispered.

He did not remove his hand, but he was silent for long enough to answer my question. "Like how you said I burnt you that one time, I . . . did I do it again?"

Mewtwo sighed and rubbed his forehead. "It was . . . much stronger this time," he admitted finally. "I don't know what that thing did to you, but when I returned it was as if you became something else. Nothing I did worked, the both of us were nearly lost to your energy."

I did not respond right away; what he said had shocked me into silence. To be too much for even Mewtwo was a terrifying thought, knowing how powerful he was. "The only thing that saved us was when I redirected your power into the ocean, but even that I could not do for very long." I remained silent for a moment longer as I thought over what he said. "This is something we can talk over once we—"

"No," I shook my head, "you've protected me from myself for long enough. Everybody has. I need to be able to control this power before it becomes too much." I looked back at him finally. "Now that I know you've been hurt by it too, I . . . I won't run away anymore. I'm going to face this now!" I put my other hand on his. "Because I won't let you face it for me!"

He watched me patiently as if he were waiting for me to start crying, but that moment did not come. When I was done, he pulled me into an embrace. "We will figure it out together." His chest rumbled slightly as he spoke, "I may not be able to face it for you, but you won't face it alone."

I wrapped my arms around him. "I know."

There was finally time to talk, and the hours seemed to melt away as I leaned against him. Remembering what happened at the base was hard and we did not dwell on it for very long, but we talked for a while about Amber and what she did for us. I listened intently as Mewtwo told me about how she was his first friend, how she helped him to not give up when her clone had ultimately not survived. "And then . . . she waited with you for this long? And you had no idea?" I had asked.

"She did." Mewtwo's voice was tight, but he did not get emotional.

"Amber sounds amazing," I said thoughtfully. "She must have loved you so much, to do that even though you didn't know her while she was alive."

"She was strong," he agreed, "I only wish I could have known her in life."

I held it together until we began to discuss the vision Arceus had presented to us; it felt as though my tears would never end as I thought about how my parents were brutally taken from me. Not even Mewtwo knew why Giovanni might have ordered it done, aside from the desire to use my power. "But even then, they could have just kidnapped you. Even for Giovanni, that was . . . there are no words."

I could not respond to this, as I was still doing my best to stop the tears. "But your father," Mewtwo continued, "his ring . . . he must be alive. There is hope to find him, you must remember that."

"He . . . must not want me," I managed to say.

"What?" At this, his arm tightened around me. "Lilly, that's—"

"D-don't tell me I'm wrong. You've thought about this too, I know you must have," I turned my head into his shoulder. "He must have known how to find my mother's siblings, why didn't he? What . . . what st-stopped him—?"

"We don't _know_ what happened," he said, rubbing my shoulder, "perhaps he sustained a head injury, or . . . thinks that you were taken and did not know how to find you."

"But what if . . . he just didn't bother?" I gasped out, my own words suffocating me.

"Then he's a coward, and never deserved you," Mewtwo said bluntly, "But I _know_ that isn't true. I would not say so if I did not really believe it."

"Why are y-you so . . . s-sure?"

He was quiet for a moment. "You're not going to just take my word for it, are you?" When I shook my head 'no,' he sighed. "Very well. It was . . . you saw the way he looked at you in your mother's arms, and then his own, I . . ." He sighed again. "I never thought I would say this, but you're going to think that I am crazy."

He paused for a long time after that. "What?" I asked, finally gaining control over my uneven sobs.

"That look in his eyes . . ." he looked toward his knees. "I recognize that I'm not human, and that I will never be a father, but . . ."

He put his free hand to his chest. "I feel as though I knew . . . what he felt. He seemed to look at you with all the love in the world in his eyes, as if he could not believe something as wonderful as you existed." His words lit something in my chest. "It's strange to me," he said, looking down at me. "I normally have difficulty identifying emotions such as those, even with my abilities. But I just knew."

"I-is that . . . how you see me?" I sniffed, wiping my eyes.

"I think so," he admitted, looking away again. "I don't have the words for it yet, but . . . I felt something when I saw it. That is why I know he would never simply abandon you."

I finally lost it again, hugging him as tightly as I could. "Was that too much for you to hear?" he laughed, hugging me back.

I shook my head, which only made him laugh again.

It was after lunchtime by the time we remembered I had not yet eaten. Mewtwo sat across the room as I scarfed down some leftover pizza he managed to swipe from the kitchen. "Aren't'u goma eat?" I asked through a mouthful of pizza.

"Fortunately, I do not require . . . food," he said.

"Then why'd you eat with us?" I asked, waiting until I had swallowed before asking.

"My honest answer?" He looked away as he thought for a moment. "I suppose I was intrigued by the ritual."

His wording confused me. "Ritual?"

"Yes. Humans are reliant on sustenance, so much so that it is advised to eat three times a day. But it is also a time when bonds are strengthened, as I saw with Ash and your Aunt. As such, I would classify it as a ritual."

I nodded as I considered what Mewtwo said. "You have a point, I never thought of it that way." Before I could ask him what else he had noticed, his face suddenly went blank. "What is it?" I asked, eating another mouthful of pizza. "Did you hear something?"

He looked toward the window of our cabin. "Wait here," he said before he vanished.

_Where'd you think I was—?_

I had not even fished my thought before he reappeared. "Finish that later," he said hurriedly, grabbing my hand.

The next thing I knew, my hair was being violently tossed around by a strong wind; I could hardly see where I was at first. After I finally managed to pull it back, the gasp that came from me was almost louder than the wind itself.

We were still on the boat, but far in the distance was what looked to be several mountains jutting out of the earth. Standing behind them was a mountain unlike any I had seen before. It was so massive that it pierced through the cloud line above, lost to our view. The setting sun cast a radiant glow on the west half, the other side was cast in shadow. So taken was I with its beauty that I could not speak at first. After a moment the shock wore off and I could not stop the excitement that poured out from me.

"Are you _seeing_ this?" I exclaimed, startling Mewtwo. "This is . . . this is incredible! I've never seen mountains like these, not even in Jhoto!" I began pointing, trying to count them. "How many are there? How tall is that one? What kinds of Pokémon do you think live there?" I paused for a moment to examine them further, but not long enough for Mewtwo to attempt to answer any of my questions. "Is that . . . all Sinnoh is? Humongous mountains?"

He laughed. "No, we're just too far from the shore. Those mountains split the region down the middle, and this ship will dock in the eastern half."

I turned toward him. "What's the eastern half like?" I asked.

That was when Mewtwo began to talk about all he had discovered during his visits to Sinnoh. He put his left arm around my shoulder, using his right hand to point toward the places as he mentioned them. The eastern towns and cities are more spread out, he said, so it may be difficult to reach them by foot at first. "Is that where my uncle's town is?" I had asked. "Yes."

To the west were factories and various energy plants. The port city there was slightly smaller than the one we were to dock at in the east, but he described it as "much more charming."

I was still listening to him, but something else about him was pulling my attention away from his words. The energy that buzzed in the air as he told me about what we would see felt as if he alone could power the entire ship we were on. His eyes sparkled with life, and he grinned so wide that I saw more of his teeth than I had ever seen. I could sense just how excited he was to arrive in this new place, how hopeful he felt as he spoke. For the first time I was seeing him as if our circumstances were ordinary, as if we were free to live without worrying about our futures. The thought overwhelmed me, and the words left my mouth before I even realized.

"I love you."

He was in the middle of saying something about some lakes when I said it, and he stopped mid-sentence with his finger still pointing toward something. "And," I continued, "I'm really glad that you're here with me."

Mewtwo looked at me, his face strangely blank. I looked down toward my hands, resting on the railing of the ship. "We went through some pretty rough times together, but . . . this is a new start for the both of us! I'm a little scared about what's ahead, but I'm also really excited." I looked back at him and saw that he was still staring at me. I smiled contentedly. "Let's do our best!"

He finally shifted his gaze away as I said that, his face still not reflecting any emotion. Then he closed his eyes and inhaled deeply, turning his head toward the vast ocean.

"Mewtwo?" I asked, growing a little concerned. When he heard his name, he opened his eyes again. There were tears in them, and his mouth was firmly pressed together. His face reflected still neither joy nor sadness. "D-did I say something bad?" I asked.

He closed his eyes again and finally exhaled, the tears sliding down his face. "No," he said quietly, wiping them away with his wrist, "sorry."

I was too bewildered by his reaction to ask any more questions, but I did not have to. He opened his eyes again, and the corners of his mouth turned upward. "You . . . did this to me. I was never this fragile," he joked through his tight voice. "I am not accustomed to . . . words, or feelings such as those."

"But . . . what you said earlier—!"

"And if my recollection is correct, you reacted the same way," he chuckled, his voice cracking a little. "It is quite a different experience hearing _you_ say all that."

I laughed and hugged him. "Then I'll say it however many times it takes for you to stop crying, starting now!" I decided aloud. "Ready?"

"No, have mercy on me," he laughed and hugged me back, lifting me up into his arms so that my head could rest on his shoulder. "You may just melt me away into nothing."

Night began to fall, and in a few hours' time we would arrive at our destination. That was long enough for me to take a nap; after making sure all my belongings were stuffed back into the duffel bag, I buried myself under the covers. Mewtwo came and sat next to me, saying that he would remain awake as we were not very far away. I remember taking his hand before falling asleep.

It seemed as though I was woken up again mere seconds later, but Mewtwo's voice said that we were to dock within the next five minutes. I dragged myself out of bed, slung my duffel over my shoulder, and slipped my shoes on before groggily stepping out into the hallway.

Many other passengers were walking toward the exit with suitcases and loved ones in tow, I had packed pretty light in comparison. I began to follow the throng of people, hoping Mewtwo was nearby. _How will I know if my Uncle's there? I've never seen him before, _I suddenly realized.

_I'll tell you, but . . . I have a feeling you'll know when you see him._

It was a few minutes before the throng had nearly reached the exit. By then my heart seemed as though it was going to burst with excitement. _Let's hurry and get off this thing, _Mewtwo said impatiently, mostly to himself. I inhaled deeply as I approached the opening, taking in the crisp night air of Sinnoh.

I hopped off the ship and walked toward the pier, gripping Mewtwo's unseen hand in mine.


	51. Author's Note

There's a lump in my throat as I post this.

First, thank you for waiting. When I tried to write Chapter 48 earlier, I knew I was not in a good headspace to finish this fic during the last couple of weeks as I am also getting ready to say goodbye to my life in this country. When I sat down yesterday and today, all of this just hit the keyboard so effortlessly and it felt right.

I have a hard time finishing and finalizing things, so this was not an easy task for me. I owe some of that to my own determination, but most of this I owe to you readers who encouraged me when I first started sharing. And for that, thank you. Thank you for telling me that this story was important to you. Your encouragement, no matter how small, made me want to share this thing that had been living inside of me for most of my life.

Now that this part is finished, I feel a strange sense of relief. But I will soon begin the process of polishing up the beginning; to me it does not shine as much as the ending does. But when I finish that, I encourage you to read it again!

Soon I will begin a "real" full-time job, but please look forward to future installments. I will update you on the social media pages (on my about page) about the progress, but please use them to interact with Lilly and Mewtwo if you wish during this time.

Thank you again!


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